Billy Loughnane is the son of Tipperary-born trainer Daniel Mark Loughnane, who, since 2017, has been based at Rock Farm, a state-of-the-art facility in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. A graduate from the sphere of pony racing, which he readily acknowledges was a ‘massive help’ in his development as a jockey, Loughnane Jnr. did not have his first ride under the Rules of Racing until October 24, 2022. On that occasion, he finished fifth on Starfighter, trained by his father, in a handicap at Newcastle, but chalked up his first winner, Swiss Rowe, also trained by Loughnane Snr., in a similar race at Wolverhampton just over a month later.
Thereafter, it would be fair to say that Loughnane has been a jockey on a meteoric rise to the top of his profession. After riding just six winners, all bar one of which were trained by his father, in his inaugural season, he increased his seasonal tally to an astonishing 130, from 875 rides at a strike rate of 15%, in 2023. In so doing, he won the apprentices’ title and reached the 95 winners required to ride out his claim less than a year after taking his first ride.Indeed, his performance was all the more remarkable for the fact that he missed a total of six weeks of the season, spending three weeks at Gulfstream Park in Florida and three more on the sidelines, after breaking his thumb in a stalls incident at Nottingham at the height of the summer.
Twice crowned all-weather champion apprentice, in April 2023 and April 2024, Loughnane has continued the good work into the new turf season. On June 18, 2024, he rode his first Royal Ascot winner, Rashabar, trained by Brian Meehan, in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and currently lies fifth in the Flat Jockeys’ Championship, having ridden 42 winners from 291 rides at a strike rate of 14%.
