Egan back with a bang on Moore's Expresso

John Egan returned from a three-meeting suspension at Happy Valley yesterday and immediately got back to winning ways with a storming victory on Triple Expresso.

The irrepressible Irishman scored his 16th win of the season with a tremendous hold-up ride on the John Moore-trained gelding in the last race on the card, the Class One So Kon Po Handicap. He burst down the outside in the straight to defeat favourite Red Zone by 2.5 lengths, with Super Century another 1.25 lengths back in third.

Egan, who had a total of four rides yesterday, was delighted to bounce back so quickly from his ban for careless riding incurred at Sha Tin late last month. 'I didn't have too many rides today because it's always hard to get the mounts when you've been off for a while. But that was exactly what I needed to kick-start the season again for me,' he said.

Egan's ride was exceptional from barrier 11 on a day when a low draw and a handy position from the off were generally required for victory. He was last in the early stages of the 1,200-metre race as Kowloon Pride and Spring Miles cut out a fast pace, and he was still among the back-markers turning for home.

But the front-runners had nothing left in the straight, and Egan's patience paid off as Triple Expresso powered to the line once the jockey pressed the button. Red Zone and Super Century, who had also been out the back for most of the way, both ran on well but Egan's run was unstoppable.

Moore was full of praise for the jockey after he had secured Triple Expresso's first victory from five starts this season. 'I told John the horse was really well, probably better than he's been all season. We wanted to draw a good barrier, but when we got 11 there was nothing he could do but take him back and across and ride him for luck,' the trainer said.

'The only strict instruction I gave John was not to be tempted to swing ride coming into the straight, but to sit and wait for the gaps to appear. Fortunately, everything came together and John did it perfectly.'