Daahyeh gives David Egan a first Royal Ascot success in the Albany

Birthday presents do not come much better than your first Royal Ascot winner.

David Egan turned 20 on Wednesday. Victory aboard Daahyeh in the Albany may have come two days late, but it was certainly worth waiting for.

The promising young rider fought his emotions as he said: "It's a big step in my career and I'd like to thank everyone who's helped me get to this point, I'm actually a bit emotional. It's what I've worked hard for my whole life and it's great to have these big days.”

Egan’s boss Roger Varian, who let him keep the ride when stable jockey Andrea Atzeni was required to ride Galadriel for his retained owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, joked he was too old for presents but gave him one anyway – in the form of a favourite's chance at the royal meeting.

Daahyeh (red) wins the Albany Stakes under David EganCredit: Edward Whitaker

It is a meeting at which his father John, who was riding at Newmarket on Friday, has been successful four times. His uncle Richard Hughes was synonymous with the meeting as a rider, and after watching Egan glide through proceedings and put the race to bed it is difficult to think such a wonderful young talent will not have more moments like it.

A year’s worth of toil went into claiming the apprentice title in 2017, but it took little more than a minute on Daahyeh’s back for it to be replaced in the young rider’s mind as his crowning achievement. “I think this could be at the top,” he said, before adding “for now” in a manner that let you know in no uncertain terms he was not joking.

“I felt the pressure before the race, but once I was on her it was like another race,” he said of the occasion. “I'd like to thank the owners and Mr Varian for the opportunities on the big stages. She had to battle inside the final furlong, but when I switched my whip she picked up again and hit the line strong, she's a very nice filly.”

A very nice filly she may be, and she was ridden by a very nice jockey who wanted to pay special thanks to his father. "I always wanted to follow his footsteps and he's been huge for my career, so I'd just like to thank him for everything he's done.

Daahyeh: stayed on strongly to beat Celtic Beauty and AhoraCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"I live with him, if it's Royal Ascot or a ride around Southwell he looks at my races afterwards and gives me criticism, he’s taught me everything I know. We have our ups and downs sometimes, but he loves me and it’s advice so I take it all on board.

“I’m sure he has as good a buzz as I got out of it. He’s ridden plenty of Royal Ascot winners and I hope to do as well as he did, you walk into the weighing room and his picture’s all over the wall, Snoqualmie Boy and the likes, I was six or seven when he was doing that.”

Varian may not look like he would have been much older, but he has firmly established himself at the top of the training ranks and this was his second Albany.

On his young jockey he added: “David’s been riding well for a couple of years, has a good head on his shoulders, and knows the filly as he won on her first time.

"Andrea might have ridden her but had to ride for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, so David will get a few opportunities as we go through the summer. He took his chance today and gave her a lovely ride, I couldn’t ask for more from him.”

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