Billy Loughnane

Loughnane took out an apprentice licence after leaving school aged sixteen and had his first ride in October 2022 on Starfighter, trained by his father, at Newcastle. His first winner was another horse trained by his father, Swiss Rowe, at Wolverhampton on 28 November 2022.^[1] In April 2023 he was crowned champion all-weather apprentice with 41 winners, in spite of taking a break in February to ride out with trainer David Meah in Miami.^[2][1] On 1 April 2023, on just his third ride on the turf, he rode Doddie's Impact, trained by Robyn Brisland, to victory in the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster.^[4] The following month he became the youngest jockey since Lester Piggott in 1951 to ride in a British classic when he partnered Sweet Harmony in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. The 200/1 outsider, trained by Richard Spencer, finished 14th of 20 runners.^[5] He had eight rides in his first Royal Ascot, with his best result being second place on Calling the Wind, trained by Richard Hughes, in the Ascot Stakes.^[6] He rode out his claim with his 95th winner on 8 September 2023, having had to take three weeks out after injuring his thumb in July in the stalls at Nottingham.^[7] On 1 October he won the Apprentices' Derby at Epsom on the favourite Forceful Speed, trained by George Boughey.^[8] At the end of the month was crowned as 2023 Champion Apprentice on Champions' Day at Ascot.^[9] He retained his all-weather apprentice title in April 2024.^[10]

Loughnane secured his first Group race victory when he rode Queues Likely, trained by Stan Moore, in the Group 3 Preis Karin Baronin von Ullman Schwarzgold-Rennen at Cologne in Germany on 21 April 2024.^[11] On 18 June 2024 he achieved his first win at Royal Ascot and his first British Group win, riding the 80/1 outsider Rashabar to a photo-finish victory in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for trainer Brian Meehan.^[12] This was followed three days later by a win on Soprano for George Boughey in the Sandringham Stakes.^[13]

In April 2025, Loughnane was crowned British All-Weather Champion Jockey with 75 wins, in spite of having spent some time in Australia over the winter.^[14] He achieved his first Group 1 success in August 2025, winning the Grosser Preis von Berlin on Rebel's Romance, trained by Charlie Appleby, in the Godolphin silks.^[15] In October 2025, he won the Cesarewitch Handicap on Beylerbeyi at Newmarket.^[15] In 2025 he set a 21st-century record of 222 wins in a calendar year, riding the record-setting winner on the final day of the year.^[16]

Germany

• Grosser Preis von Berlin - (1) - Rebel's Romance (2025)