Victorian jockey Billy Egan was rewarded for answering the call from good mate Matt Hoysted to fly to Brisbane for just one ride on Wednesday with his mount Hang Five saluting in the opening race at Eagle Farm.
O’Dea Hoysted Racing Co-trainer Matt Hoysted told Stable Boss on Tuesday that when Hang Five’s regular rider Ben Thompson withdrew his appeal on Thursday, it left the stable with next to no options to take the ride.
The jockeys O’Dea and Hoysted usually use were already booked for rides in the race and apprentice Jaden Lloyd was out suspended.
With Egan considering a move north, it offered a great opportunity for both trainer and rider so Hoysted sent the SOS out.
The Proven Thoroughbreds-owned Hang Five settled towards the back in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Colts & Geldings Maiden Plate over 1200m. The son of Astern was around six-lengths off the lead as they turned for home. Egan advanced his mount prior to straightening but not before copping a few bumps from Rabbit Stu which forced him wide. Once they hit the straight, he powered away from his rivals to win by 2.25 lengths.
“It was a good effort from this little bloke today,” Hoysted said.
“He really derived a fair bit of benefit from that first run at Doomben. He had a little week at the beach after that run and had that tick over trial at Doomben.
“We were pretty happy with him coming into today. It was just a matter of him doing everything right.
“They wanted to make him earn it on the turn but Billy was able to keep him nice and balanced.
“He was able to go through his gears and obviously was too superior today.
“He’s still got a bit to learn. He got to them pretty quick and wanted to have a look around so I think there’s plenty of improvement in him.”
With Hang Five racing on his wrong leg, Egan was wondering if he had in fact come to Queensland or was still riding the Victorian way of going.
“He doesn’t make it easy for himself,” Egan said.
“He was a bit slow out and naturally he was straight onto his wrong leg and with the rail out so far, I thought I was going back the Victorian way.
“But late coming into the straight, he switched onto his right leg and that’s when he powered away from them.”
Egan, who is approaching 700 race wins, said that there were still a fair few things to organise before he makes a decision one way or the other in regards to a permanent move to the Sunshine State.
“I’m having a little test at this stage but look around, why wouldn’t you want to be here?” Egan said.
“It’s a beautiful place with beautiful people so it would certainly be on the cards. It would be a wise move to do it.
With the Queensland Winter Carnival just months away, we could be seeing a lot more of the talented hoop in Brisbane.
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HANG FIVE was a $45k purchase from the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and became Proven Thoroughbreds’ 43rd winner for the season.
Wednesday’s win also vindicated the form of stablemate PRINCE SHALAA who defeated HANG FIVE last month at Doomben. Proven Thoroughbreds and O’Dea-Hoysted Racing went to $60k to secure PRINCE SHALAA’s half-sister by SPIRIT OF BOOM at the recently concluded Magic Millions March QTIS Sale. More information on this filly can be found HERE.