David Egan shines on Mr Professor in winning the Lincoln for Amo Racing

By Mike Vince

Horse Racing

Sun March 24, 2024 · 9M ago

Mike Vince reflects on the day-one action from Doncaster where David Egan made a fine start on home soil for the Amo Racing operation.

So now we know, David Egan really does have the 'Amo' to be a major player in the 2024 Flat season - possibly on both sides of the Irish Sea.

It's amazing to think the 24-year-old, son of a Group 1-winning jockey and and Irish Grand National-winning trainer, was Champion Apprentice as far back as 2017, but that spell with Prince Faisal has given him a maturity to go with it.

And he ends the first week of the new season with victory in Ireland’s opening two-year-old race with Arizona Blaze at the Curragh on Monday and the William Hill Lincoln at a soft Doncaster on Mr Professor at 33/1. That followed on from Lincoln winners at 28/1 and 18/1 so it was again a bookie’s bonanza, and with the next two placed horses returned at 16s, 22s and 28s, may I be the first to wish happy retirement to anyone who scooped the tricast.

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More seriously, a penny for the thoughts of David Menuisier, who 12 months ago celebrated success with Migration. This time his eight-year-old, humping top weight, simply downed tools to the complete despair of jockey Paddy Bradley, who had even safeguarded his claim to ride in the race. The horse's 'no way' moment came as the stalls opened and there was nothing the jockey could do about it.

Egan may be new to the Amo Racing role but he had done his homework to realise Mr Professor was better over further and, on a day when stamina was the key, was always handy enough to go and win from stall two.

It's surely only a case of when Egan becomes champion jockey, but it will be a surprise if William Buick decides this is the year to abdicate, though he like the rest of us will have noticed another name on the winners' list.

It’s welcome back to Silvestre de Sousa, who won the opener for Roger Varian on favourite Charyn - and looking and talking a hungry game.

The Flat is back, but absurdly after day two at Doncaster on Sunday we have to wait for the £100,000 Queen's Cup at Musselburgh next Saturday to do this turf stuff again.

The campaign is starting almost as slowly as Migration.

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