David Egan interview: Rising jockey on Mishriff, Juddmonte win and his Qipco Champion Stakes chances

He travelled from his Newmarket base on Thursday to Brighton for two rides – both of which didn’t trouble the judge – before the long haul to Redcar where six mounts yielded one victory yesterday.

And only then, as he began the long journey south on the A1M through North Yorkshire, did his attention begin to turn to Ascot today and the 10th anniversary of Champions Day.

“It’s all about keeping your main supporters happy – and getting to know the young horses that could be in the bigger races next season,” the grounded Egan tells The Yorkshire Post in an exclusive interview. “It’s probably more important, even at this stage of my career, to turn up at the small days as it is the big days. In this sport, like all things, you only get out what you put in.”

This is a mindset and mantra that has served Egan well since the corresponding weekend four years ago when he was crowned champion apprentice – at Catterick.

As Frankie Dettori was winning the first of two Champion Stakes on Cracksman, the fresh-faced Egan was trying to fend off the challenge of Kieran Shoemark as their title race went to the wire. That neither rival rode a winner remains one of the very few occasions when Egan has been satisfied leaving a racecourse without being first past the post at least once.

Looking back, Egan says this accolade was a “highlight” in his career. Yet, he adds, it was also a turning point because he could then focus on progressing his career.

Central to this has been Roger Varian, who remains his main trainer. Equally important was the trust – and faith – placed in Egan when he was named as retained rider to Prince Faisal whose horses include Mishriff.

It’s a relationship that has grown since Egan won a Nottingham maiden by 10 lengths in November 2019 on Mishriff in the owner’s now instantly recognisable maroon colours. A jockey’s instinct told him this was a special horse.

Yet Egan kept his own counsel a year ago when the aforementioned Dettori was asked to ride the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mishriff in the Champion Stakes.

In some respects, he concedes this was a blessing in disguise – the colt was totally unsuited by the bottomless ground and was a remote eighth to Addeybb.

But this meant Egan was back in favour for the winning ride on Mishriff in the Saudi Cup – the world’s richest race and worth £7.3m to the winning connections – in February before adding the Dubai Sheema Classic (and a mere £2.1m) a month later.

And while these successes saw Egan become racing’s latest millionaire before his 22nd birthday in June, it confirmed his burgeoning reputation as a jockey unfazed and undaunted by the big occasion.

He did nothing wrong when Adayar beat Mishriff in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stales in July – the Derby hero was in receipt of 11lb under weight-for-age allowances.

Today the differential is just 4lb. Significantly, Adayar had a hard-fought race when fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe two weekends ago while Mishriff has been saved for this day since turning York’s £1m Juddmonte International – the best race in the world on ratings – into a one-horse race in August.

It’s a day that Egan still remembers with pride. “Any win at the top level means a lot,” said Egan who was second in the Derby on Mojo Star. “They’re all important but this one even more so because it was the Juddmonte and a first Group One on home soil.

“More than anything, I was pleased for the horse. He’d won on a dirt surface in Saudi, then Dubai and then York – it was good the British racegoers could see what he’s made of.”

Three memories stand out from that day – Mishriff surging clear of a quality field, Egan standing up in his riding irons as he returned to the winners’ enclosure in triumph and the look of pride in his eyes as he scanned his mobile phone immediately after the presentation. There, he realised he had missed nearly 20 calls from his father John, who is still a top-class rider, and dozens of congratulatory messages from his family.

For, while many jockeys are born to ride, Egan was bred to do so. His late grandfather Dessie Hughes was both a Champion Hurdle-winning jockey and trainer, his aforementioned father still competes, his mother Sandra (Hughes) is an Irish Grand National-winning trainer and his uncle Richard (Hughes) is a former three-time champion jockey who now trains.

Egan makes no secret of his ambition to be champion and has been an interested observer as Oisin Murphy and William Buick’s title tussle reaches its denouement.

But he’s also blessed, he says, by the support of his family and friends. “Family means a lot. They’re my biggest supporters. They encourage me, but because of their own experiences, they know how to guide me,” says Egan, before stressing his family’s competitiveness.

“As for my grandfather, he was an important part of my life when I was growing up in Ireland. He was the one who advised me, at a young age, to be a Flat jockey because I could always switch to the jumps if I became too heavy.

“It was very great advice. I’d love hearing the stories about his Champion Hurdle win on Monksfield and the great races in that era. It’s sad he never got to see me ride on the racetrack. But, at the same time, I know he’ll be looking down on me and cheering me. He was a hero of mine. And he always will be.”