Loughnane hoping Bow Echo can realise Guineas dream

Breaking news from the world of sport: Loughnane hoping Bow Echo can realise Guineas dream Image caption, Billy Loughnane is aiming to become Champion Flat Jockey in 2026 By Dan Wheeler , Sport, West Midlands and Daniel Pallett , Midlands Today Published 39 minutes ago If you are good enough, you are old enough, so the well-worn sporting adage goes. And it is one that could have been written just for jockey Billy Loughnane. The 20-year-old has been taking the flat racing scene by storm since making his debut in 2022 as a 16-year-old and his relentless pursuit of excellence ever since has brought the Irish-born adopted Midlander to the cusp of what would be his greatest achievement to date.

On Saturday, he rides favourite Bow Echo in the 2,000 Guineas and if the George Boughey-trained colt runs to form at Newmarket, Loughnane will claim his first Classic victory and become the youngest winner since Donnacha O'Brien triumphed on Saxon Warrior in 2018, aged 19. "It's a bit surreal really. I never thought it would be happening this early on in my career and I'm really fortunate to be able to sit on him," Loughnane told Midlands Today.

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It's quite hard to understand really. I've partnered some really nice horses and just looking ahead now to what the season can bring. " 'It's been a dream since I could walk and talk' For someone whose first Christmas present was a rocking horse, followed by the real thing the next year, Loughnane's destiny has been mapped out from the start.

He learned to ride at his flat-trainer father Mark Loughnane's yard at Rock, near Kidderminster and won his first race at his 'local' course in Wolverhampton in November 2022. The Champion Apprentice title came the following year, when he became the youngest jockey since Lester Piggott in 1951 to ride in a British classic at the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Last year Loughnane rode 222 winners, breaking Kieren Fallon's record that had stood since 2003, on his way to becoming Annual Flat Champion Jockey.

That title is a separate award to the British Flat Jockeys' Championship, decided by the number of winners between May and October, which was won in 2025 by Oisin Murphy, with Loughnane runner-up. Loughnane said last year would be "hard to beat" but becoming champion jockey on the flat is the ultimate aim. "That's been my dream since I've been able to walk and talk, I've always wanted to be a jockey and being able to do it will be something that will mean a lot," he said.

"It's something I definitely want to achieve, whether it's this year, or years to come, I'll be giving it my best shot. "It's been a whirlwind couple of years. I couldn't have dreamed it going the way it's going but I'm very fortunate to be riding some very nice horses for some very good people.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.