Centaur
Genre: Feature Documentary
Directed by Vaughan Sivell
Produced by Crispin Manson, Matthew Stradling, Vaughan Sivell & Natan Stoessel
Executive Producers: Spencer Pollard, Natan Stoessel, Vaughan Sivell
International Sales: Kaleidoscope Film Distribution
Status: In Pre-Production
An exclusive feature-length documentary about the extraordinary life of jockey Declan Murphy, based on his award-winning memoir ‘Centaur’ co-written with Ami Rao.
CENTAUR is the true story of jockey Declan Murphy who suffered a horrific accident during a race in which his skull was crushed.
Even if he could survive the brain surgery, the prognosis for his recovery was bleak. He would no longer be a young sportsman at the top of his game but suddenly someone with numerous severe physical disabilities and brain damage.
After weeks in a coma, he woke up believing he was 12 years old - all his memories of adult life had gone. He had no feeling in his legs or hands. He couldn’t stand or walk and his vision was badly impaired.
But - desperate to become the Declan Murphy he had been before the accident - Declan drove himself relentlessly, usually against medical advice, to get better.
The goal that kept him going, that kept him fighting for control of his mind and body, was to ride again… to race again.
The journey through his miraculous recovery, from the moment of the accident to his final race, is a truly remarkable, inspirational, story of the power of the human spirit.
Eighteen months after the Racing Post printed his obituary, Declan climbed onto a thoroughbred again. He raced just once more… and he won.
Declan Murphy retired the next day. And never went back.