Billy Loughnane

The 14 participants for the 2026 International Jockeys' Challenge in Riyadh during the Saudi Cup meeting, were revealed on Wednesday. Featuring 14 jockeys, seven men and seven women, the four-race contest sees the return of last year's champion, local rider Mohammed Aldaham. Mickael Barzalona, the regular rider of the Longines World's Highest Rated Racehorse Calandagan (Gleneagles) is signed on, as is 2025 Irish Champion Jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle. Panama's Luis Morales is based in Saudi Arabia alongside Aldaham. Other male jockeys set to mark their mark on the contest include:...

Billy Loughnane set a 21st century record for winners in a calendar year when taking his 222nd race of the year at Lingfield Park on December 31. Loughnane was the first to ride 200 British winners earlier this year. He was aboard George Boughey trainee Invited (Kodiac) on Wednesday. The previous record holder was Kieren Fallon, who rode 221 winners in 2003. Oisin Murphy earned 220 victories in 2019. Loughnane told Sky Sports Racing, "I'm feeling relieved, there was a little bit of pressure today, but I'm delighted to get...

Billy Loughnane rode his 200th winner of the year aboard Dandy Khan (Dandy Man) in a Lingfield handicap on Monday. The 19-year-old has enjoyed a memorable campaign and his ridden frequently for Georgey Boughey, as well as Charlie Appleby. Loughnane, a former champion apprentice also rode his first Group 1 winner with Rebel's Romance (Dubawi) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in Germany. Loughnane told Sky Sports Racing, "It's been on my mind since I hit 100 earlier in the year and a goal I set up. "I wouldn't...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's TDN Rising Star Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) was a perfect two-for-two heading into Saturday's G2 Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket and emerged with his unbeaten record intact after dominating his rivals in the one-mile test. "He does look like the best colt we've had at this stage," said trainer George Boughey. "I loved his attitude today, it's the thing that's stood out from the beginning and it was nice to see him get it done. He's always been easy to train and...

Newmarket's opening mile novice on Saturday had 2026 Oaks written all over it and it will be no surprise if Godolphin's Romantic Symphony (Dubawi) is one of the main players heading to the Epsom Classic in June. While the newcomer's 3/4-of-a-length winning margin was not flashy, everything about her pedigree suggests this is very much the beginning. "She has a nice stout pedigree to her. We came up here knowing that the trip would suit her and there is no doubt about it that the experience, and stepping up in...

Following an impressive debut win at Newbury last month, TDN Rising Star Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) denied chief rival Publish (Kingman) to double his tally in Saturday's Listed Ascendant Stakes at Haydock. Shrugging off that Juddmonte rival inside the final furlong, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's George Boughey-trained 5-6 favourite readily asserted under Billy Loughnane for a length success. Boughey thinks there is a lot more to come. "He's a lovely horse who has shown plenty of ability at home, but he's possibly still quite raw," he said. "He...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features the son of a dual Classic-placed mare. 2.35 Newmarket, Novice, 2yo, c/g, 7fT MONOCEROS (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the seventh foal out of the Oaks and Irish Oaks runner-up Shirocco Star, who produced this colt's classy G2 Challenge Stakes-winning full-brother Al Suhail, the Dante winner Telecaster...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred 2-year-old colt Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder), who hails from the family of Dubawi, went postward as the 2-1 joint-favourite for Friday's TPT Fire Supports St Michaels Hospice EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury and returned with a TDN Rising Star rosette after delivering a mightly impressive wide-margin triumph in the straight one-mile test. "His work had been good at home, I thought he'd take a lot of beating coming here today and that was a taking performance," said winning rider Billy Loughnane. "I've sat...

Godolphin homebred Dance To The Music (Dubawi) notched a one-length debut triumph at Newmarket's Rowley Mile track in May and maintained her unbeaten record with a battling display in Saturday's G3 Newsells Park Stud Sweet Solera Stakes at the town's summer venue. Stalking the pace in second through halfway, the 11-4 chance was shaken up to launch her challenge passing the quarter-mile marker and kept on in resolute fashion once gaining an edge approaching the final furlong to defeat Princess Petrol (St Mark's Basilica) and Venetian Lace (Masar) by a...

Godolphin blueblood Spirited Style (Sea The Stars), a daughter of the operation's three-time Group 1 winner Wild Illusion (Dubawi) backed up a breakthrough victory at Haydock in May with a career high on black-type debut in Saturday's Listed Ric & Mary Hambro Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket. "She's improving and improving off each run, she relished the conditions today and really enjoyed the [good-to-] soft ground," said winning rider Billy Loughnane. "I hit the front sooner than ideal, but we had to go as I didn't want to get boxed...

Jaber Abdullah's America Queen (Havana Grey), a €180,000 graduate of May's Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up sale, made a start on recouping that investment with an impressive debut performance in Thursday's Selecta Systems EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock. The Richard Hughes trainee, who was originally knocked down for €48,000 as Goffs November foal, went postward as the 11-8 favourite and tracked the leaders from a midfield berth through the early fractions. Making smooth headway from halfway to assume control passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened clear and was...

Godolphin homebred Wild Desert (Too Darn Hot), who is a half-brother to G1 Middle Park Stakes winners Shadow Of Light and Earthlight, went postward as the even-money favourite for Friday's Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Novice Stakes at Haydock and never gave supporters a moment's worry, coming home with an impressive five-length buffer to attain TDN Rising Star status on debut. Positioned in a close-up second for most of this seven-furlong contest, he loomed large hard on the bridle with three furlongs remaining and quickened clear in taking fashion once...