Prince Faisal to use ‘best available jockey’ after Egan association ends

James Doyle will team up with the owner’s Newbury runner on Saturday.

David Egan is no longer being retained by owner Prince Faisal, who will revert to using the “best available jockey”.

The association has come to an immediate end with James Doyle booked to ride the Roger Varian-trained Sajwaan at Newbury on Saturday.

Egan, 23, enjoyed a stellar association with Prince Faisal’s Mishriff, and partnered him to his maiden victory at Nottingham in November 2019, not long after he was appointed to the role.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, he missed out on Mishriff’s 2020 French Derby win with Ioritz Mendizabal stepping in, and was then banned when the John and Thady Gosden-trained star won the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano the following month.

Jockey David Egan with the Juddmonte International Trophy
Jockey David Egan with the Juddmonte International Trophy (Nigel French/PA)

Frankie Dettori replaced him on that occasion and retained the ride in the Champion Stakes, but Egan got back on board for the 2021 Saudi Cup, winning the richest race in the world.

The pair won both the Sheema Classic in Dubai and the Juddmonte International at York last year and finished a close second in the Coral-Eclipse at the start of this month.

In a statement, Prince Faisal’s racing manager Ted Voute said: “David Egan has not signed his 2022 riding contract, so Prince Faisal has decided to revert to best available jockey, starting with Sajwaan, a first-time-out two-year-old that runs on Saturday who will be ridden by James Doyle.”

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