Tag Archive for: Billy Loughnane

Haydock victor Bow Echo has Classic engagement on his radar

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Next year’s 2000 Guineas is the ultimate target for Bow Echo after George Boughey’s exciting juvenile lived up to his tall reputation with victory in the Betting.Betfair Ascendant Stakes at Haydock.

Having been rerouted from last weekend’s Solario Stakes at Sandown, John and Thady Gosden’s Publish was the early favourite for this one-mile Listed contest, but sustained support for Bow Echo – a dominant winner on his Newbury debut three weeks ago – saw him go off the 5-6 market leader.

Odds-on backers will have been smiling when the Night Of Thunder colt cruised to the lead in the hands of Billy Loughnane heading inside the final two furlongs and while Publish looked set to pick him up late in the day, Bow Echo found more once challenged and was a length in front at the line.

Boughey did not make the trip to Merseyside, but was delighted with what he saw.

“He’s a lovely horse who has shown plenty of ability at home, but he’s possibly still quite raw,” said the Newmarket handler.

“He probably didn’t learn too much on his debut at Newbury and he’s only had once piece of work since.

“Billy was of the opinion that he really wanted something to give him a lead for longer at Newbury and it was similar today. It looked like Publish was coming to win the race, but our horse was waiting for him and outbattled him in the end.

“I’m delighted to make him a Stakes winner for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) as he’s a homebred from a good family.”

While Publish holds big-race entries in the Royal Lodge and Dewhurst at Newmarket, Bow Echo does not, with Boughey keen to take a patient approach with a horse he views as a legitimate Classic contender.

He added: “I think we’ll just see how he comes out of the race. The reason we didn’t enter him in those races (Royal Lodge and Dewhurst) is because we see him as very much a horse for next year.

“Maybe we could step him up in class again this year, but I’d be quite happy to wait and run him in a Guineas trial next spring.

“He has plenty of pace, he’s a Guineas horse and that’s what we’ll be training him for.”

Rebel’s Romance and Loughnane rock in Germany

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Billy Loughnane registered his first Group One victory when guiding globetrotting superstar Rebel’s Romance to the Westminster 135th Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten on Sunday.

A firm favourite of trainer Charlie Appleby, the seven-year-old began his Group One haul in this very race back in 2022 and three years on he was back in the German capital to strike for the eighth time at the highest level.

Keen to keep things simple Rebel’s Romance was up with the pace throughout the early stages, keeping close tabs on Andre Fabre’s Junko and when straightening for home he showed his class to bravely hold off the French challenger.

It was in fact a fourth Group One success on German soil for the well-travelled dual Breeders’ Cup Turf hero who could return to Del Mar for another crack at the season-ending showpiece, with Coral making him the 5-1 co second-favourite for a third Stateside victory.

Appleby said: “It’s great for Billy, but more importantly great for the horse who keeps sparkling on all continents.

“To have him carry on at the top level is fantastic for Sheikh Mohammed and I see this as a pre-cursor for the Canadian International at Woodbine and then the Breeders’ Cup.”

Loughnane has ridden eight winners from 12 rides for Appleby this season and it is fitting his first success at the top table comes in Germany, having notched his first Group-race triumph at Cologne in April last year.

It caps a memorable weekend for his teenage pilot who also won the Sweet Solera Stakes in the royal blue of Appleby and Godolphin aboard Dance To The Music at Newmarket on Saturday.

Loughnane told Wettstar: “This is a feeling I can’t describe, it’s a feeling of ecstasy, what a horse and I’m very lucky to be riding in these colours and riding a horse like this.

“He’s a star of a horse and has been going for a good few seasons now. Big thanks go to William Buick and I spoke to him last night and he told me exactly what to do. He’s a superstar.”

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old’s father Mark Loughnane was the proudest man on Wolverhampton racecourse having watched his son’s finest hour from Dunstall Park.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “Words can’t describe something like that and it is something Billy has dreamt about all his life, it was amazing.

“I had an even-money favourite in the first but I was more on my phone watching Billy and we can’t thank Mr Appleby and George Boughey and people like that enough. His agent Tony Hind has done a super job and they’ve all really catapulted Billy to the next level but as a dad, I’m proud as punch.

“When it was talked about he might be riding Rebel’s Romance he rang me straight away and was like a child in a sweet shop and he said ‘I’m on this horse of Mr Appleby’s and it’s going to be great’. I told him just to relax as a lot can happen between races.

“I’ve spoken to him on the phone and he’s absolutely elated. I was the first one on the phone and he’s bouncing and for a young fellow, he’s a super young man. What he’s done in a short space of time, I’ve helped him get started, and now that’s it off he goes.

“It’s awesome for our house and as a family, his mum is here racing today and we’re all absolutely cock-a-hoop for him.”

Silent Love tastes Listed glory in Chalice Stakes

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Charlie Appleby is planning a step up to Group-race level with Silent Love following her hard-fought victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice Stakes at Newmarket.

Placed on her first two starts before making it third time lucky at Kempton in June, the Dubawi filly was 7-4 favourite to claim Listed honours on the July course in the hands of Billy Loughnane.

Having raced keenly during the early stages of the mile-and-a-half contest before making her move, Silent Love had to dig deep late on, with Jane Temple a willing adversary.

There was little to choose between the pair as the post loomed, but Silent Love saw out the race best to prevail by half a length, with Karmology four and a half lengths further behind in third.

Speaking on the Godolphin website, Appleby said: “I told Billy before the race that Silent Love would stay, but not to commit her too far out if he could help it.

“He felt the ground was a bit tacky and he would have won by a couple of lengths with proper soft ground. He was quite impressed with the way she saw it out.

“We have a race in mind at Deauville, the Group Three Prix Lady O’Reilly, and this should hopefully give her a nice progression on to that.”

Loughnane went on to complete a double aboard the Ian Williams-trained Beylerbeyi (9-4) in the Turners Park Group Ltd Handicap.

Other winners on the card included 11-2 shot Inis Mor, who looked destined for bigger and better things after making an impressive start to her career in the Durcan Bloodstock Pat Smullen Memorial EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes for David Menuisier and Sean Levey.

Westridge powers clear in Chesterfield Cup

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Westridge continued his progression with a wide-margin win in the Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap at Goodwood.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by Billy Loughnane, the four-year-old has been faring well in handicaps recently and started a 6-1 chance in a field of 18.

From stall eight he hit his stride quickly and after a prominent passage through the race he took up the lead in the final furlong, then pulling clear of the chasing pack to score by an eventual three and a quarter lengths.

“He enjoyed the space around him today and Billy gave him a lovely ride. It is not easy in a big handicap field but he broke well and made use of him,” said John Gosden.

“He is owned by Glen Manchester, my wife and Nicholas Wrigley, so it’s a proper partnership.

“We did have him in the July sales but wisely we chose to take him out three days before the sale, thank God we did that.

“He’s a grand horse and he’s done well, the handicapper will get him now but to win the Chesterfield Cup is a dream come true because Glen is very much Goodwood orientated.

“It’ll have to be York now though I’m not sure which race, Mr Wrigley will demand it. Rachel is just the silent partner, she does whatever they want!”

Ruth Carr’s Brazen Bolt made the long journey from Yorkshire to Sussex worthwhile with success in the Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap, where he prevailed by a nose at 28-1 under Warren Fentiman.

Peter Furr, Doncaster-based winning owner-breeder, said: “He has been an unbelievable horse. We have bred a few horses but nothing like him. He went to Bahrain and won last year and when he came back he was not very well.

“He had ulcers, a bad tummy, stress, everything. Me and my daughter got him back and had him on a nebuliser. We took him to Ruth this season and she has been fantastic.

“We didn’t expect to win at York last time and we came here today thinking it would be really firm ground and when it wasn’t we didn’t expect this again. It doesn’t happen to people like us.”

Stellar Sunrise got off the mark for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.

The Space Blues colt had been placed in both starts prior to his Goodwood run, and that experience served him well as he came to the fore at 6-1 to win by a length and a quarter from evens favourite Naval Light.

“He had the experience, and I think the draw helped as well,” said Balding.

“He was given an astute ride, as the stands rail was definitely an advantage in a big field with these younger horses.

“He’d shown a fair level of form in his previous races, but he’s getting more streetwise and he was very professional today.

“We’ll look at nurseries now and we’ll find out more next Tuesday (when he is given a rating).”

Roger Varian’s Protest built on recent Listed efforts to make a winning handicap debut in the Ridgeview Fillies’ Handicap over a mile.

The Cheveley Park Stud owned and bred chestnut struck at 11-2, steered by Silvestre de Sousa to a one-length win.

Sayidah Dariyan swoops late for Summer success

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Billy Loughnane rode Sayidah Dariyan with plenty of confidence and the filly delivered in style in the William Hill Summer Stakes at York.

The Richard Hughes-trained three-year-old was sent off the 9-4 favourite on the back of her run at Royal Ascot when she was fourth, beaten just over a length, in the Group One Commonwealth Cup.

Dropped in class to a Group Three and back in against her own sex, the 9-4 favourite could be spotted travelling ominously well with two furlongs to run but she had a wall of horses in front of her.

Loughnane managed to weave his way through the pack to take up the running and the race was over in a matter of strides.

Nighteyes, who herself had outrun market expectations in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Ascot, stayed on for a length-and-a-half second, catching the returning Celandine, last year’s Lowther winner who was making her first start of the season.

Loughnane told Racing TV: “Richard told me to be as confident as I could on her as she relaxes lovely behind, she conserves so much energy and she’s got an electric turn of foot when you let her down.

“She ran well at Ascot but I’ll leave future placing to Richard and the team. She’s in great nick and is definitely a filly on the up.

“She’s got the best mind ever. She yawns in the gate and when they open she gets down to it.

“To be honest I’d have liked a smoother passage through, but I just had to wait. It probably did me a favour as it meant I didn’t get there too soon.”

It capped a good 10 minutes for Hughes who also won at Ascot with Sayidah Hard Spun.

Loughnane raring to get going at Royal Ascot again

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Billy Loughnane has reflected on his phenomenal Royal Ascot breakthrough 12 months ago – and is banking on an old friend to replicate last year’s success this time around.

There were emotional scenes in the winner’s enclosure when the 19-year-old, adorned in the famous Sangster silks that have been a staple of Ascot, opened his account at the summer showpiece in the second race of the meeting by steering Brian Meehan’s Rashabar to Coventry Stakes glory at 80-1.

Loughnane’s week would get better when his Newmarket training ally George Boughey legged him up aboard Soprano in the Sandringham Stakes, completing a double on the biggest stage and a week he will always remember fondly.

Billy Loughnane after riding Rashabar to victory in the Coventry Stakes
Billy Loughnane after riding Rashabar to victory in the Coventry Stakes (John Walton/PA)

“It was a good Ascot last year and I’m excited to get back there, said Loughnane.

“It was a brilliant feeling winning the Coventry and ticking it off so early in the week was great. It was a special day and it was great to be there on the big stage. To also win on Soprano later in the week really was the icing on the cake.”

The young jockey has big ambitions of another dream week in Berkshire and is already busy amassing a stacked book of rides for five of the biggest days of the Flat season.

And it is last year’s Ascot heroine Soprano who Loughnane is pinning his hopes on once again as she returns to the Royal meeting for the Duke of Cambridgeshire Stakes, along with stablemate Bountiful who could provide a Sandringham double for not only Loughnane and Boughey but also owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing.

Loughnane continued: “I’ve hopefully got a good book of rides and some good teams behind me. I’ve got some nice ones for George and Jane Chapple-Hyam and some other connections as well.

“Royal Ascot is the peak of our whole season so it’s important to go there with chances of winning. I’m hoping for a big week and will be disappointed to shoot a blank.

“Soprano will probably be my standout of the week and was a winner there for me last year. She’s going to run again and is in great nick. I’ve been riding her at home, she likes Ascot and loves quick ground and providing we get that I think she seems really well and will be going there with a good squeak.

“Bountiful can also run well for Highclere and George. She’s going to run in the Sandringham and her work has been good and I think stepping up to a mile will help her. I think she could be a bit of a sleeper.”