Billy Loughnane: The Royal Ascot wonderkid with ambitions to challenge Oisin Murphy and William Buick to be Champion Jockey | Racing News

Billy Loughnane has always been in a hurry. Racing’s latest ‘wonderkid’ stormed onto our screens early last year, hauling an astonishing 23 winners in January alone, and after another 18 months of rapid progress, is already eyeing up a future shot at being Champion Jockey.

Loughnane was a toddler when he first sat on a horse, so his racecourse debut aged 16 in October 2022 was, for him, a long time coming.

With his father Mark, an established flat trainer in Britain, “teaching him everything”, it was of little surprise to those who know Billy best as they watched him quickly rack up the winners.

The first coming at Mark’s favourite track Wolverhampton – he has 155 winners there from 1,589 runners – on a foggy November evening aboard Swiss Rowe.

Mark recalls: “His first winner there was the best feeling I’ve ever had.

“When we moved here, I’d go to Wolves every week without fail and Billy was always coming with me.

“From the people on the gate, to those in the suite or the hotel, they all love him.”

After a blistering start on the All-Weather during the winter, Billy continued to progress as the Turf season began and was crowned champion apprentice at Ascot in October, just 12 months on from his first ever professional ride.

Heading into 2024, Billy knew he would have to step it up another level as frequent battles against the very best in the weighing room became a regular occurrence.

The turf season began with a bang as Billy rewarded the faith of powerhouse Newmarket trainer George Boughey with a dominant victory in the Listed Prix La Camargo over at Saint-Cloud in France.

More international success came in Germany with Stan Moore’s Queues Likely winning the Group Three Schwarzgold-Rennen in April, but despite making another strong start to the turf season, Billy went into Royal Ascot this year still searching for a high-profile domestic success.

He had come agonisingly close last year, finishing second aboard Richard Hughes’ Calling The Wind in the Ascot Stakes.

On the importance of the Royal meeting, Billy says: “Royal Ascot is the highlight of every flat racing season.

“It’s the middle of summer where all the best horses compete from around the world. Everybody comes for a good day out, even the King and Queen, it’s a massive spectacle for everyone to enjoy.

“There’s definitely a buzz when you walk out of the paddock, look around and there’s thousands of people watching. It’s electric.”

There were wild celebrations when Billy landed a shock and dramatic victory aboard 80/1 shot Rashabar in the Coventry Stakes after a nail-biting photo-finish.

Billy recalls: “As I hit the two-furlong pole I thought ‘I’m going pretty well here’ and he just took off!

“When my number was read out, I don’t really know how to describe it, my whole body just went numb like there was something passing through me. It was a great buzz. A feeling like no other.”

Dad Mark and mum Clare were there to meet Billy in an emotional embrace in the parade ring. Mark recalls: “It was the best feeling ever! When you see your son rocking it on the big stage, it’s a feeling that money can’t buy.

“I don’t remember anything from after Billy’s race to the last, I was that high on emotions.”

Full of confidence from Rashabar’s success, Billy added a second Royal winner to his name as Soprano landed the Sandringham Stakes for Boughey.

Bolstered by Boughey’s support throughout this season so far, Billy currently sits fifth in the jockey standings behind established stars Oisin Murphy, William Buick, Rossa Ryan and Tom Marquand.

“I want to be Champion Jockey one day,” Billy says. “It will take a lot of hard work and graft, but I’ll be trying my best.”