He's done it! Billy Loughnane lands record-breaking 222nd win of the year

Billy Loughnane broke the 21st century record for winners in a calendar year after he registered his 222nd success on Invited at Lingfield Park on New Year’s Eve.

The young jockey became the first to rack up 200 British winners in 2025 earlier in the year, and then set his sights on another feat before the beginning of 2026.

Kieren Fallon set the previous record with his 2003 tally of 221 winners and while Oisin Murphy came close with 220 victories in 2019, Loughnane has now surpassed that feat.

Loughnane rode his father Mark’s runner Bright to victory at Newcastle on Monday to edge one closer, and then First Greyed for Thomas Faulkner in the penultimate race at Wolverhampton on Tuesday night looked to set it up perfectly, only for the line to come just too soon aboard Amerjeet in the last.

But on the final day of the year, Loughnane reached the landmark aboard George Boughey’s well-backed 4-5 favourite in the Win £250,000 With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Handicap.

Loughnane told Sky Sports Racing: “I’m feeling relieved, there was a little bit of pressure today, but I’m delighted to get it done and on one of George’s as well means a lot.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without George and he’s been everything for me since I started and has supported me the whole way up. I’m delighted to get him his 100th winner of the year as well.

“I’ve been trying to ride as much as possible, I’m bored when I’m not riding and I love my job. I’m very lucky to partner some really nice horses now and to George, dad (Mark Loughnane) and everyone at Charlie’s (Appleby) and the Gololphin team and anyone who has supported me, I need to say a massive thank you.

“I can’t believe I’ve broken the record, I was looking it last night and the list of jockeys to be at the top of it is extraordinary. I’m nowhere near as good as a lot of them yet, but hopefully one day I will be. It’s great, and a relief, the last couple of days have been full on, but it’s a great feeling.”

Boughey was full of praise for his rider, saying: “It’s an amazing achievement and the biggest thing for me is he wanted to ride 200 winners at the start of the year, which was always going to be a hard ask with him going to Australia for much of the winter.

“He was always going to build his book of rides around our horses and I think between Billy, Tony Hind (agent) and myself we tried to make sure he was on the best horses wherever he could be.

“To stay fit and healthy and be able to ride at every meeting – he hasn’t missed a ride all year – is huge credit to him and he deserves every success he gets.

“I think the most fundamental part of it is whether it’s a 0-55 handicap at Wolverhampton on a Saturday night or a Group One on a weekend, Billy is meticulous in his preparation. I have always said he knows more about what’s going on in races than anyone I’ve ever worked with, which just makes him a pleasure to deal with.”

Loughnane senior added: “It’s some achievement isn’t it? Fair play to him as he is so dedicated and hard working and it is paying off.

“He has some top people behind him, George Boughey and Charlie Appleby, and Ian Williams has given him lots of winners, and as a family it is a very proud moment for us because he is just some young man.

“We’re bursting with pride and we are busy at the moment so had to watch the race at home and didn’t go. There was me, his mum and his brother Jack and it is just a phenomenal achievement.

“We know how hard he works behind the scenes and the dedication he has and what he puts into it, we see it every day.

“He was pushing for 200 winners and always sets a new goal so once he got to 200 he wanted this 222 and it’s great, what a year and it will be very hard to top it next year won’t it?”

Eclipsing his 2025 haul could prove hard, but with Boughey’s Bow Echo a potential Classic contender to look forward to, his father is backing his star to keep on rising in 2026.

He went on: “He’s riding for the right people and one thing about Billy is it could a 0-50 or a Group One, he will still give his all and he has the horses in the right place.

“He rides as well at Wolverhampton and tracks like that as he does anywhere else and hopefully George has a good year next year and Charlie continues to put him up, and you never know those big winners and that Classic might come.

“We expected him to do well, but we never thought in our wildest dreams this would be the way it is so you have to say well done him and we’ll have a glass of champagne tonight to celebrate.”