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FRIDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2021 EGAN COMES OF AGE VOLCANIC SKY ON FIRE IN NAD AL SHEBA TROPHY WITH CUP WIN Godolphin's royal blue silks were seemingly everywhere at Meydan on Thursday, as the operation swept four of the five Thoroughbred races on the card and both group stakes with Volcanic Sky (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy and Star Safari (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. The former was coming in off a win in a Feb. 11 2410-metre handicap score locally and gave his trainer Saeed bin Suroor and jockey Frankie Dettori a win on the card. The bay sat in a tracking second just ahead of Global Heat (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) past the wire the first time as Corsen (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) showed the way by daylight. Positions were largely static heading into the final of two turns. Volcanic Sky pounced midway on the bend and was pursued by Away He Goes (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) turning into the lane. Cont. p6 David Egan raises the Saudi Cup trophy | Neville Hopwood By Emma Berry By the time David Egan was born Mike Smith had already won IN TDN AMERICA TODAY two Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey. Smith is still very TAKING STOCK: FIRST-CROP SUCCESS IN THE CLASSICS much at the top of his game at the age of 55, but it was the In Sid Fernando's latest Taking Stock column, he investigates the 21-year-old Egan who got the upper hand in the richest race in performance of first-crop sires in the Classics. Click or tap here the world on Saturday when guiding Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe to go straight to TDN America. {GB}) to an important home victory for Prince A A Faisal in the $20-million Saudi Cup. The fact that the youngster is the retained rider for such a respected international owner/breeder speaks volumes for the regard in which he has been held since being crowned champion apprentice in 2017. Rarely has the phrase 'an old head on young shoulders' been more apt than when it comes to Egan. In conversation, he is considered and courteous in his responses, even when it comes to discussing the biggest win of his career to date-a result which would entitle him to crow a little. Speaking from Bahrain, where he has been riding throughout the winter, he says of the aftermath of Saturday's Saudi Cup victory, "It's just starting to calm down now. I got loads of messages on what's app and social media and I'm still replying to them all now. Since I've come back to Bahrain I've been riding a few lots early every morning so that brings you back to planet Earth. But it was a fantastic weekend. It was great to have dad there and it was a fantastic effort by the Saudi Cup team just to get the meeting to go ahead at all. To get so many people from all over the world there wasn't easy but they got it done." Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 11 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 26 FEBRUARY 2021 David Egan Cont. from p1 me in the right direction and then letting me go and do what I Egan, who grew up in Ireland but is now based in Newmarket need to do. But I know he's always there whenever I need him," in the UK, has used his winters wisely to gain experience in says Egan, whose mother Sandra Hughes trained, notably different jurisdictions. Over the last winning the Irish Grand National in few months he has predominantly the aftermath of the death of her been attached to the in-form father, the legendary National stable of Fawzi Nass. Hunt jockey and trainer Dessie "When there's no turf racing [in Hughes. The young Egan can also Britain] in the winter months and call on the expertise of his uncle, the majority of the trainers that I former three-time champion ride for don't have many runners jockey Richard Hughes, who now on the all-weather it gives me a trains in Lambourn, while fellow chance to go and explore the jockey Paul Mulrennan is his world," he explains. "I've gone to father's cousin. Australia, America, now Bahrain, "With the family so steeped in and it's something I will definitely racing, although my look forward to, adding to the visas accomplishments are good for me on my passport." David Egan with his father John and the trophy for champion and everyone is happy for me, apprentice | Racingfotos.com Throughout the fledgling years of everyone else has their own his career and on his travels, Egan has been mentored by his accomplishments in different ways. Obviously with Richard father, John, a Classic-winning jockey still race-riding at the age being a trainer, my dad is a jockey, and when my grandad was of 52 but arguably playing a more important role in the honing training, everyone has their own little piece of racing and it's a of his eldest son's abundant talent. fantastic sport to be a part of," he says. "My dad has been great, not only helping me but also guiding Cont. p3 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 11 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 26 FEBRUARY 2021 David Egan Cont. "I'm just thankful I grew up in a family that was in amongst it as I probably wouldn't be in the situation I am in today without them. I grew up in Ireland going racing every weekend with my grandfather, predominantly jump racing, to Punchestown, Fairyhouse. And then when I was about 13 or 14 I decided I did Senior Vice President Gary King want to be a jockey and I was quite small so I thought a Flat Twitter: @garykingTDN jockey would be the right route to take. Thankfully it has worked [email protected] out." + 1.732.320.0975 The jockey will doubtless feel some relief not just at winning such a major prize for his boss but also for regaining the ride on International Editor Mishriff. He was aboard when the colt won his maiden by 10 Kelsey Riley lengths at Nottingham as a 2-year-old, as well as when he was Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN second in the Saudi Derby on his first trip to Riyadh, and for his [email protected] first black-type win in the Listed Newmarket S. But quarantine European Editor and travel complications in the midst of the pandemic meant Emma Berry that Egan was unable to ride him in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, Twitter: @collingsberry which Mishriff won under French-based Ioritz Mendizabal, while [email protected] Frankie Dettori was aboard for his follow-up win in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano back in Deauville. Associate International Editor "I'm just delighted to have got back on board," he says. "I'm Heather Anderson very thankful to Prince Faisal for putting his trust in me. He Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN could easily have gone for an American jockey who is a lot more Marketing Manager used to riding on the dirt week in and week out. I was delighted Alayna Cullen to repay his faith in me by steering Mishriff home, but I wouldn't Twitter: @AlaynaCullen have been able to do it if it wasn't for Mishriff--he's an absolute [email protected] champion who has got a huge heart and is tremendously versatile." Contributing Editors While Egan is quick to credit his mount, he had also done Alan Carasso plenty of homework ahead of the race, particularly as the dirt is Christina Bossinakis a relatively unfamiliar surface for European jockeys. Cont. p4 Cafe Racing Sean Cronin Tom Frary [email protected] Irish Correspondent Daithi Harvey Regular Columnists Chris McGrath | John Berry | Kevin Blake Amy Lynam | Melissa Steele Mishriff & David Egan beat Charlatan & Mike Smith | Neville Hopwood TDN EUROPE • PAGE 4 OF 11 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 26 FEBRUARY 2021 David Egan Cont. ride against such great riders. Luckily I was on the best horse on "I was very determined that I would have a plan going into the the day." race," he says. "I studied all the form, got advice from lots of Barring a potential return to ride at Lingfield on Mar. 6-- different people regarding riding on the dirt and on the other quarantine allowing--Egan will remain in Bahrain until the British horses in the race. I went through it with people in America who turf season gets underway, and his next big raceday to look do Timeform figures. So I had a plan, and if Mishriff did happen forward to in the Middle East is the King's Cup on Mar. 12, in to jump slowly and wasn't able to go with them, I had plan B and which he is likely to be riding for Fawzi Nass. A potential run in C ready to go, but thankfully plan A was executed perfectly the Dubai World Cup is still being considered for Mishriff. Egan thanks to the great horse I was on top of." will return subsequently to his regular job with Roger Varian, for Reflecting on how the race whom he had his first ride in a unfolded, he adds, "I knew once Classic when third on Qabala I'd gone 50 yards that he was (Scat Daddy) in the 1000 Guineas moving well and travelling two years ago. This provided an strongly.