BILLY LOUGHNANE SECURES FLAT RACING CHAMPIONSHIP

Billy Loughnane will receive Flat racing’s champion jockey title at Ascot on Saturday, becoming its youngest winner in more than a century. The 20-year-old discussed his achievement at George Boughey’s yard in Newmarket ahead of the presentation. Loughnane overtook defending champion Oisin Murphy in mid-July after a slow start in May. He has extended his lead since then, securing the championship he had targeted from his first ride.

Loughnane began his riding career as an apprentice at Wolverhampton in October 2022 and recalled feeling “very nervous” before his debut. He said his mother had wanted him to become a vet. “I’d say money and an easier lifestyle, but I always wanted to be a jockey and made it very clear that was what I wanted to be doing,” he said. He added that his parents and wider family had supported his choice.

Loughnane described a daily routine combining early starts, riding, gym sessions and travel during the five-and-a-half-month championship campaign. “It’s a full-on season from the moment it kicks off,” he said. He said he usually gets up at 5.30am and rides between two and eight horses during the morning. A typical day then includes an hour in the gym before he travels to a race meeting, with evening fixtures allowing some time to catch up on other things.