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• Sport
• Horse racing
• Frankie Dettori

Kia Joorabchian has issued a vote of confidence in Amo Racing’s contracted jockey David Egan.

Questions were raised about Egan’s position within the ambitious football agent’s team after he was not in the saddle when two horses ran at the Curragh last weekend. Rossa Ryan, Egan’s predecessor with Amo, rode instead and was successful on both Robson De Aguiar-trained runners, notably in the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes.

Without immediate clarification from Amo, online bookmaker Betway offered odds of 4-1 about Frankie Dettori, who has been an ambassador for the team since retiring in February, riding for the owners in the UK before the end of 2027.

While Dettori laughed off the suggestion, Egan said: “There’s been no quotes from anyone and I’d like to say no comment from me.

“I’ve got no comment on the situation. I’m declared to ride a horse on Friday for Amo, plan to ride for him on Saturday and even into next week so no comment.”

Egan and Joorabchian were together at Ascot where the Amo-owned, Charlie Fellowes-trained Treasurer finished seventh of ten in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes.

Before the race Joorabchian spoke for the first time about the situation to Sky Sports Racing.

He said: “Rossa Ryan still rides for me, Kevin Stott rode for me this year and David has been part of our team for two and a half years.

“We treasure him very much. He’s a very, very important part of the team. Regardless of what people think of the operation and what he is, he means a lot to us.

“He’s been to America for us, he’s been all over the world for us and he will continue, hopefully, to have a very, very successful season for us. If people want to make stories about us because it suits them, that suits them.”

Asked why Ryan rode the horses in Ireland, he said: “Because that was outside the country. He had ridden all week, he had been very tired, I felt he was very tired. I felt he needed a small break and I think a break would have done him well. I wanted him to come back refreshed.

“Why? Because we have Goodwood, we have York, we have multiple races.”

He added: “Egan is my man, he’s always been my man. It doesn’t mean we don’t have a right to give someone a break or a rest for a day.”