Egan puts Mishriff decision behind him with Traisha triumph

Keith Hamer
October 14, 2020 4:45 pm

Rider claims Bath feature with Joseph O’Brien’s runner.

David Egan shrugged off losing the plum ride on Mishriff at Ascot on Saturday by steering Traisha to victory in the feature British Stallion Studs EBF Beckford Stakes at Bath.

Egan is retained by Prince Faisal, who has given the ride on the French Derby winner in the Qipco Champion Stakes to Frankie Dettori.

The young jockey put that behind him to take the Listed honours on Irish raider Traisha, trained by Joseph O’Brien.

“Frankie won on him (Mishriff) the last day when I wasn’t able to go due to a suspension, but hopefully I’ll have another good day on him sometime,” Egan told Sky Sports Racing.

“It’s part of racing. The Prince has been very good to me. He sent me to Saudi where I finished second on him and I won a nice race in Newmarket, so it’s been a good connection with the Prince and I’m still retained to him. It’s just on this occasion he decided to use Frankie and I respect his decision.

“For his horses, he pays a lot of money. His breeding operation is probably very important for this next ride so he wants the best in the business, so I can’t give out to myself being jocked off by the best.”

Egan showed his talent with a composed ride on Traisha (4-1), who bounded clear on the far side rail in the final furlong to land the Listed spoils by three lengths from Urban Artist.

“When the gap came two out, I either had to commit or wait sitting and I decided to go,” he said.

“She had a little look in the last furlong, but she is a very straight-forward filly and Joseph was confident beforehand.”

O’Brien said: “She has been consistent and progressive all year. It’s nice to win a stakes race with her. She’s a very well-bred filly.

“There’s a chance she might stay in training next year. The decision will be with the owners so we’ll wait and see, but there is a chance.”

Megan Nicholls revealed she has taken out a licence to ride over jumps after guiding Quel Destin (5-4 favourite) home for her father Paul in the Signs Express Handicap.

The 3lb-claiming apprentice did mix both codes earlier in her career, but has concentrated solely on the Flat since 2015.

“I will be here for the all-weather and also I’ve just got my jumps licence back out. It’s no big job, we’re not aiming for a National or anything like that, but hopefully for a few bumpers,” she said.

“I would ride over hurdles if Kev (partner, Kevin Stott) allows me. We’ll see what happens. The main thing is we’ll get going again on some of those bumper horses.

“Sometimes when the jumps are snowed off, they have jumpers bumpers at Lingfield, Kempton and Wolverhampton. I ride at those tracks a bit more regularly, so hopefully (I can) have a bit of fun with some of them.”