Kildare’s Egan takes centre stage in Dubai for €4.2m Sheema Classic

Mishriff, ridden by David Egan, on the way to winning the Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack, Riyadh. Photo: Grossick Racing

Michael Verney

March 25 2021 02:30 AM

It’s a long way from The Curragh to Meydan, just under 8,000km to be precise, but Kildare native David Egan will proudly fly the Irish flag this weekend in the lucrative Dubai World Cup meeting.

Egan was always destined for equine greatness with his father John still going strong in the saddle at 52 having ridden more than 1,000 winners, while his mother Sandra Hughes trained the Irish Grand National winner Thunder And Roses in 2015.

Egan has lived in Newmarket since he left secondary school and he was quickly crowned British champion flat apprentice in 2017 before turning professional with his promising career given a huge shot in the arm when appointed first jockey to powerful owner Prince Faisal last year.

That link earned him a spectacular dividend last month when he bagged the €8.5 million Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race, aboard Mishriff and he will partner John Gosden's four-year-old in Saturday's €4.2m Dubai Sheema Classic.

Egan admits he's "a lucky lad" to have the opportunity to partner such a "top-class horse" as he bids to deny Aidan O'Brien, with the Ballydoyle maestro sending over Mogul as he hopes to build on a comprehensive Hong Kong Vase success.

Mishriff is the highlight of Egan’s five rides with the 21-year-old also picking up a decent spare aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Speak In Colours as the Greenlands Stakes winner tackles the Group One Al Quoz Sprint.

Another Irish jockey out to make his mark in the Middle East is Oisín Murphy, with the Kerry rider keen to “hit the ground running” as he returns to big-race action. The dual British champion jockey recently resumed his career in the saddle after serving a three-month suspension and the Killarney native admitted that marquee meetings like this Meydan card energised him when he was off.

"I'm really pleased to be here, it’s been the target for a couple of months now. I’ve picked up a couple of rides and let’s see how they go. That’s what’s kept me going, riding in the big races," Murphy said.

"I’m fit and ready to kick off my season. I’d been busy before I came out here, I had a few winners in England last week so it would be nice to hit the ground running on Saturday.”