Rugbi Murray: Building a career one opportunity at a time

For many young people dreaming of a career in the thoroughbred industry, the path ahead can be difficult to picture. For MCS Racing Operations Manager Rugbi Murray that journey began simply as a young boy in Cowra with an affinity for the local race track.

By the age of 10, a love of horses had already developed into something more.

Growing up around well-known racing identities Parsons and Molloy families throughout the Western Regions, he was given an early insight into the world of racing and the people behind it. But one horse left a lasting impression that he will always remember.

Local horse Zarhron had become something of a country cups legend, winning the Cowra Japan Cup four years in a row before returning for a fifth attempt and finishing second. For a young racing enthusiast, watching the horse become such an important part of the local community demonstrated that the significance of racing extended well beyond the major metropolitan tracks.

“It showed me that racing wasn’t just about the big metropolitan races or the horses you saw on television,” he reflects. “These horses can mean so much to people in smaller country towns as well.”

Those early experiences ultimately confirmed what he wanted to do with his career.

While still at school, he began looking for ways to turn his passion into a career. In Year 10, he contacted Lindy and Tracy through the Thoroughbred Industry Careers Explorer Cadetship Program, determined to find a pathway into the industry once he finished school.

Moving to Richmond in 2022, he completed the TIC Explorer Cadetship Program, gaining hands-on experience with leading operations including Chris Waller Racing and Arrowfield Stud.

“I went into the program with a completely open mindset,” he says. “My main goal was to learn as much as I possibly could, gain real hands-on experience and understand all the different aspects of the thoroughbred industry.”

The cadetship provided more than practical experience. It gave him an understanding of just how broad the thoroughbred industry is and opened his eyes to career opportunities he had not previously considered, but most importantly it gave him a starting point.

“I think the biggest thing it gave me was a foot in the door. It allowed me to turn something I had always loved into a genuine career path and gave me the foundation to keep building from there.”

The experience also reinforced a lesson that has remained central throughout his career: attitude matters.

“You can have the ability to ride a horse, but there is so much more that goes into working in a successful racing operation. Being reliable, working hard, listening to people around you and being willing to have a go at anything are all things I learnt very early on.”

After working with Arrowfield at the Magic Millions in 2023, the next opportunity came in Victoria, where he secured a trackwork riding position with Ciaron Maher at Cranbourne.

He spent more than a year with the stable, gaining experience in a large-scale racing operation and working with some high-quality horses.

One of the biggest highlights was being involved with Future History, riding and strapping the horse before ultimately being part of his 2023 Melbourne Cup campaign.

For someone who had grown up riding lead horses in Cowra, walking onto the track for the Melbourne Cup was a moment that carried plenty of significance.

“To be involved in a race like the Melbourne Cup at that stage of my career was something pretty special,” he says.

“It’s an iconic race, but for me it was more about the journey that got me there and the people who had helped me along the way.”

Having always wanted to work overseas, he then took the opportunity to join Joseph O’Brien in Ireland, spending around six months working and riding before returning to Australia.

The experience provided a completely different perspective on racing.

“You’re exposed to different training methods, different racing cultures and different ways of managing horses,” he explains.

“For me, the biggest value was being able to take myself out of my comfort zone and learn from people who approach things differently.”

Rather than simply seeing overseas experience as a chance to travel, he deliberately used it as another opportunity to learn, build relationships and broaden his understanding of the industry.

Knowing that Sydney was where he wanted to be next, he came across an advertisement from Matt and Mel Smith looking for trackwork riders at MCS Racing.

He applied, and after speaking with Melissa, an opportunity began to take shape.

Then he saw another advertisement, this time for a Racing Manager position.

“Initially, I’d applied to ride trackwork, but when I saw the Racing Manager position I thought, ‘Why not?’” he says.

The role appealed because it offered the chance to build on his experience with horses while developing skills across the broader operation.

Today, his role as Racing Operations Manager encompasses almost every aspect of the stable.

He continues to ride trackwork and remain hands-on with the horses, but his responsibilities also include staff management and rostering, veterinary coordination, organising jockeys and trackwork, race programming and nominations, race-day preparation, horse movements and owner communication. There is rarely a typical day.

“Some days I’m riding horses first thing in the morning and then spending the afternoon on administration, while other days might be heavily focused on race planning, owners or getting horses ready to race.”

“I think the biggest part of my role is simply being willing to have a go at whatever needs doing. It’s a role with a lot of responsibility, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable.”

Moving from a predominantly riding-focused role into racing operations has also presented some of the biggest challenges of his career.

While he was comfortable in the saddle, the management and administrative side of racing was new territory.

Suddenly, he was working across staff, owners, trainers, veterinarians and jockeys, while managing a constant stream of decisions and moving parts.

Learning how to communicate effectively, manage responsibility and solve problems quickly has been a significant learning curve.

But it has also been one of the most valuable parts of his development.

Those experiences have expanded his skill set beyond riding and handling horses and given him a much broader understanding of what it takes to operate a successful racing stable.

“I’ve also learnt that you can never stop learning in this industry,” he says. “Every day brings something different, and I think being able to take responsibility, make mistakes, learn from them and keep improving is a really important part of progressing in racing.”

His advice to young people considering a career in the thoroughbred industry is simple: put yourself out there.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and don’t think any job is beneath you,” he says.

“There is always something to learn, whether you’re riding a horse, mucking out a box, helping in the office or watching how an experienced trainer goes about their day.”

He also encourages young people to experience as many different sides of the industry as possible.

“If you get the chance to work for different trainers, travel interstate or overseas, or try something outside your comfort zone, take it. Every experience adds to your knowledge and helps you work out where you want your career to go.”

For him, the journey is far from finished.

Long term, he has a strong interest in the bloodstock side of the industry and would like to develop his knowledge and experience in that space. Training is another pathway he has not ruled out.

For now, he is focused on continuing to learn and build his experience across racing and bloodstock.

“I’m still very early in my own career and have a lot I want to achieve,” he says. “But looking back, I think being willing to say yes to opportunities and putting myself in the right environments to learn has made the biggest difference for me.”

From a young boy riding lead horses in Cowra to working on the biggest stage in Australian racing and now helping manage a professional Sydney stable, his story is a strong reminder of what a career in the thoroughbred industry can offer and how far a willingness to learn, work hard and seize opportunities can take you.