Darren Egan amusing interview in the currant bun

By MATT CHAPMAN

DISQUALIFIED Darren Egan has insisted he has “never stopped a horse” during his riding career.

In an exclusive interview, Egan was talking to me from America, where he is riding work for Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer Bruce Headley.

In 2012, Egan was considered one of the most promising apprentices when he emerged on the scene, riding 47 winners. But he missed out on challenging for the apprentice title with a broken collarbone. He then endured licensing problems.

That, though, would prove to be the least of his worries.

This week, Egan, 23 was found in breach of rules relating to running horses on their merit and inside information. He was immediately disqualified from racing.

Essentially, Egan was found to have deliberately ridden two horses to lose in 2013 — Imperial Spirit at Chepstow on July 12 and Tregereth at Bath on July 16.

I’ve watched both, and while I’ve seen less effort on horses, I have also seen more.

So I asked Egan whether he prevented the horses from winning.

“No, I have never stopped a horse during my riding career,” Egan said. “The two horses I was accused of stopping had never won a race before.

“I rode exactly to the instructions I was given on both horses and the trainers were 100 per cent happy with the rides.”

It’s impossible to know all the ins and outs of this case until the BHA reveals its reasoning. It may have ‘something’ that is damning.

But Egan’s story should be heard by all apprentices, and probably all jockeys in general. His career is in bits. His future hard to gauge.

Egan felt he was badly treated by the trainer who held his licence.

Handlers get a percentage of riding fees and prize-money from their apprentices, but they are meant to help their young jockeys with travel expenses and other everyday needs as well as provide a salary.

Who knows whether they all do or don’t? Egan was afraid to confront those he rode for over money issues which, in a statement I’ve seen and was sent to the BHA, he claims were making his life impossible.

Egan says a guy offered him a sponsorship deal. Being hard-up he jumped at it, receiving £1,000 in cash and a phone. He says he was told the other £4,000 would arrive once paperwork had been completed.

Egan answered the phone he’d been given when his backer called, and he responded to questions on his rides. He accepts he shouldn’t have done this. But he is adamant he never said he would stop a horse. BHA presumably has proof he did.

At the hearing Egan didn’t defend himself. He told me: “I’m stuck in the US until my papers get finalised. I felt helpless in this whole ordeal. I should have stayed in the UK and got my licence back, but I couldn’t get rides and my reputation was ruined. This is a nightmare.”

Egan has a stern message about the way apprentices are dealt with. And he has a point. Surely all wages apprentices are due should be taken at source, rather than trainers distributing cash?

“The money they get to take from apprentices is a scandal,” he said. “That should be allocated back to the rider when the apprenticeship is up.

“If they had the money that was taken returned at the end of their apprenticeship it would make the financial burden easier.

“I wouldn’t say be careful who you ride for, as most corrupt people do not work directly with racing.

“They are rather the punters who try to prey on jockeys struggling to put food on the table or diesel in their car. And the BHA love this so they can justify their outrageous budget for tackling corruption.”

If Egan is guilty, none of us want him riding. But I really believe it’s a chance to better our system.

As for Egan, he says: “I’ve a long road ahead of me. I will try to ride in the USA. I don’t know if they are going to let me. They will look at the case again when all the findings have been made.”