Jockey and Collingwood fanatic Billy Egan has kept busy riding this week to avoid stressing about AFL Grand Final
Victoria’s leading jockey and Collingwood fan Billy Egan has given himself a busy week to take his mind off the AFL Grand Final.
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Riding at Warrnambool, Horsham and Bendigo this week has been a nice distraction for Victoria’s leading jockey and Collingwood fanatic Billy Egan.
Egan has another seven rides at Benalla on Friday before a pair of prized Group 2 mounts at The Valley, a busy schedule by design to not stress about the Magpies on Saturday at the MCG.
Egan was set to forgo a grand final ticket to ride Autumn Angel in the Group 1 Flight Stakes in Sydney on Saturday before trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman opted to run the filly in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes at The Valley instead.
“I’d rather be in Sydney chasing a Group 1 that’s for sure,” Egan said, prior to Autumn Angel being scratched from the Flight Stakes.
“I’m not going to have much impact on what Collingwood does, I just hope they bloody win.
“I’m nervous as, I’m not even nervous about my rides, because it’s something I can control, but nervous about the footy Saturday.”
Egan raised a one-eyed Collingwood fan endured the misery of sitting in the same pocket at the MCG where West Coast Eagles midfielder Dom Sheed iced the 2018 Grand Final with a famous goal.
“I was a couple rows back from him,” Egan lamented.
Egan will be at Saturday’s grand final with reigning Victorian premiership jockey and fellow Magpie supporter Daniel Stackhouse.
“I converted Daniel as soon as he got here from New Zealand,” Egan laughed.
“I took him to footy one day … I’ve got him a one-eyed Pies supporter as well.
“We’ve converted Billy Pinn and Aaron Kuru (as well).”
Seonee, Egan’s other ride on Friday night, has West Australian superstar Amelia’s Jewel, the $1.35 favourite with TAB, to contend with in the Group 2 Stocks Stakes.
“I’ll still be trying to knock her (Amelia’s Jewel) off, I’m hoping we’re the horse that does it, she’s (Seonee) drawn pretty well (barrier four) so I’m happy to be in the first two (in the run) and getting away with it, we can dream,” Egan said.
“I’ll just ride my race, to give my horse the best opportunity I’ve got to focus on playing to our strengths and doing what we do and not worrying about it.
“I’ll be ahead of her in the running, I can’t really control what’s going to be happening with her behind me.”
Autumn Angel won with authority first-up at Sandown to emerge as a potential VRC Oaks contender then finished third last start at The Valley.
“I think she’ll improve a lot from the run, it was a genuine run race and brought her undone a little bit, I think she’ll be much better for it,” Egan said.
Consistency off the track, with fitness and diet, has helped workhorse Egan ride at as many meetings as possible to make up for lost time last season when sidelined by injury.
“I’m just in a really good routine at the moment with diet, I got the body right, no issues with any injuries, just keeping everything ticking over and the rest takes care of itself,” Egan said.
Originally published as Jockey and Collingwood fanatic Billy Egan has kept busy riding this week to avoid stressing about AFL Grand Final
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