Jim Byrne will drive from Queensland to Sydney, stopping only for pre-authorised fuel stops, before climbing the walls during his final days of isolation. It’s a small price to pay if he can land the $7.5 million Golden Eagle.

The only jockey from either Queensland or Victoria who has subjected himself to strict the COVID-19 protocols to ride in the race was initially a reluctant nominee, admitting curtailing his busy-bee lifestyle has been a huge challenge.

The veteran jockey has been quarantining away from the rest of his family at home this week, will drive across the border on Thursday (he’s banned from flying commercially under Racing NSW rules) and arrive in Sydney later that night as he prepares to steer Desleigh Forster’s Apache Chase in the Golden Eagle.

And so intent are officials on safeguarding the rest of the Sydney spring carnival, Byrne has to provide a detailed plan on where he plans to refill his car with petrol before heading into further quarantine across the road from Rosehill.

“As soon as I realised what restrictions they put on me, I thought I had to move out of home,” Byrne said. “Immediately I said, ‘I’ve done quarantine before and it’s not nice’.

“Some people can lay back and enjoy the relaxation, I’m not that sort of person. I’m quite mobile. I do a lot of training and my everyday routine is to get up at 4am or 5am, as I don’t really sleep. I just can’t sleep the eight hours most people do. You train your body to get up so early and I’m stuck with it; I can’t seem to move away from it.

“Doing quarantine is never easy, but ... these opportunities don’t come around too often – especially for Queenslanders.”

Jim Byrne

“Doing quarantine is never easy, but I spoke to Des and [Apache Chase’s owner] Mike [Sherrin] and these opportunities don’t come around too often – especially for Queenslanders. It’s very rare we get these sort of opportunities in these races.

“Des and Mike removed any obstacles in front of me. The only obstacle is going there and performing.”