Kidderminster teen Billy Loughnane only got his driving licence in May, but this Saturday he is set to follow in the footsteps of legendary names in horse racing.
With over 100 wins under his belt in the past year, Loughnane, aged 17, is now unbeatable in his bid to win the Apprentice Jockeys Championship 2023.
Known as ‘Billy the Kid’, his whirlwind success has even got fans of the sport labelling him the next Frankie Dettori.
Loughnane said: “I’ve basically been riding horses since before I could walk. I’ve always been riding ponies and got on my first racehorse when I was 10. I’ve always wanted to be a jockey.
“People speculate where my career will go in the future, but I don’t look at it like that. I try to stay focused on the horses. It can be hard, but I love what I do.”
The flat racing star, who was born in Ireland, grew up studying the form for runners with his dad, trainer Mark Loughnane, who is based in Kidderminster.
Despite showing an interest in football when he was younger, Loughnane started pony racing when he was 13 and has never looked back.
He said: “It always felt natural for me to go into racing. It was definitely an advantage to have my dad around to give me support, but it’s been a lot of hard work.
“Growing up, I was inspired by Tom Marquand who was also an apprentice jockey champion and Richard Hughes as he’s tall like me. But my big dream is to be champion jockey.”
Loughnane got his apprentice jockey licence and first ride in October 2022 before the championship started on May 6 this year.
Despite a brief setback in July when he broke his thumb, the talented youngster has remained at the top of the leaderboard with 59 wins going into the final day on Saturday, October 21 at Ascot.
Loughnane said: “I was out for three weeks with the injury, but I was itching to get back. I was worried about falling behind.
“I’m feeling really confident about the last day of the championship, and I think I can get another winner.”
Loughnane, who was also part of the Racing League 2023 for the Irish team, puts a lot of his success down to the support of his family.
He said: “My family are a bit part of what I do and until I got my licence in May, they were driving me around to all the races.
“I do a lot of training at New Market so there’s a lot of travelling involved, but that’s one of the reasons why I love it.”
When Loughnane collects his prize on Saturday, October 21, he will stand alongside William Buick, who will retain the Champion Jockey title he won last year.
Loughnane said: “I’m really excited for Saturday and looking forward to lifting the trophy. I didn’t think I’d win as the competition has been really tough, but I’m lucky to get my name up alongside some of the greats in the sport.”
For more information about the 2023 Flat Jockeys Championship visit www.greatbritishracing.com
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