Saudi Cup: David Egan ready to defend Mishriff’s title in $20 million Riyadh Group One | Racing News
David Egan is not feeling the heat ahead of his bid to defend the title in Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup with the John & Thady Gosden trained five-year-old Mishriff.
A remarkable 2021 saw the duo combine for three Group One races, including Juddmonte International success in York and Sheema Classic glory in Meydan.
Following last year’s triumph in the world’s richest race, Egan and Mishriff enjoyed further big-race success in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, which propelled the 22-year-old jockey even more into the limelight of international racing.
Mishriff wins the Juddmonte International at York under David Egan
“I had a brilliant year,” Egan said. “I left here and went back to Bahrain for a couple of weeks before going to Dubai where Mishriff won again and I was just riding the crest of the wave.
“I then went back to England and had a good season there. Mishriff winning the Juddmonte International Stakes was the highlight and then I had a good winter season with Fawzi Nass’ team.”
If Mishriff was only third favourite in last year’s renewal of The Saudi Cup, it is a different scenario this year, but Egan doesn’t feel the pressure yet.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jockey David Egan says he is confident of a big run from Mishriff in Saturday’s Saudi Cup, but admits the race is wide open this year.
“There was some pressure when we went to Dubai last year,” he admits.
“He had only won in Saudi three weeks earlier and I guess this is similar to then. Last year when he came to Riyadh we were just going out to try and finish the race the best we could.
“Obviously the two American horses were the two fancied runners and he was kind of in their shadow. The fact that he won, the fact he is the defending champion, that will hold a bit more pressure.
“At the same time, it won’t affect me once I’m on. I won’t ride him any different. I might have a busier week than last year with media calls, but for Mishriff it all stays the same.”
Mishriff is going into the race on the back of a three-length defeat by French raider Sealiway in the British Champion Stakes at Ascot last October, but whilst Egan is still emotional about the outcome of that race, he explains: “It’s been two years that things haven’t gone his way in the Champion Stakes.
“The ground probably being one of the issues. Every year he goes there, the ground is not to his liking. And he’d had a long season and had some tough brawls with Adayar, when giving him lumps of weight.
“It’s just not his race, but it takes nothing away from him. He is a great horse, who ran some great races last year and hopefully we can draw a line through the Champion Stakes like he did last year and win the Saudi Cup.”
In 2021, Gosden and Egan had planned their assault on the world’s richest race in great detail and came up with a strategy that worked to perfection. This year, though, it doesn’t look quite that straightforward.
“The race last year was a lot more planned out than this year’s,” Egan confirms.
“I kind of knew exactly what was going to happen with the American horses. There were Knicks Go and Charlatan, two horses that were front runners who were always going to take each other on.
“And I was going to always sit in their slipstream or try to get there as Mishriff was drawn wide.
“Maybe this year, it might be a bit more tactical. Who knows, the draw is a big factor in what is going to happen.
“Mr Gosden wanted a wide draw last year in case he might not have jumped as quickly as we would have liked, but everything went nice and smooth and I am hoping for similar this year.”
