‘He’s different gravy’ – Mark Loughnane salutes son Billy ahead of Ascot

Mark Loughnane is preparing for a special family moment at Ascot on Saturday when he will proudly watch son Billy Loughnane achieve his dream of being crowned champion jockey.

Just three years on from lifting the apprentice title on Qatar Racing British Champions Day, Loughnane, 20, will succeed Oisin Murphy and become not only the newest name on the top jockey trophy, but also the youngest title holder in over 100 years.

“Billy is an extraordinary young man and is surpassing everything we thought was possible, he’s just different gravy,” said Loughnane senior, someone who as a trainer in his own right helped set his son on the road to success.

“Everyone that sits on a horse wants to be champion jockey and it’s happened to Billy very quickly. It will be a huge day for the family and sure to be a proud moment for us all.

“To be champion jockey is Billy’s dream. We’re a close family and that makes it our dream as well and it just goes to show if you work hard and do all you can, dreams really can come true.

“This industry is a pressure cooker that can gobble people up and spit them out and to see Billy achieve more in this sport in four years than I’ve done in 40, you have to say fair play.”

Although blessed with natural talent that has been obvious since those formative teenage years in the saddle, it is his much heralded work ethic and drive to succeed that has turned ambitious visions into reality, with Loughnane passing 200 winners for the second year running and already surpassing the 21st century record he set a mere 10 months ago.

Numerical prowess aside, Loughnane has also advertised his temperament for the big occasion during a year he has truly entered the upper echelons of the weighing room with standout performances aboard Bow Echo in the 2000 Guineas, at Royal Ascot and then Glorious Goodwood.

“Billy doesn’t leave a stone unturned and he prepares,” continued Loughnane. “He always does his homework and even when he was pony racing, he would always have a plan. He had the knack of knowing what would happen in a race before it happened.

“I think what sets him apart is his preparation and his work ethic. I’m biased, but for me he is just different class. All dads think their son is amazing, but he just stood out from the rest the moment he started riding horses.

“He has to watch his weight because he’s a tall lad, but he just eats, sleeps and breathes it. The mad thing is he would do it for free and it’s not about the money, he just wants to be the best.”

He went on: “When he won the Guineas I could see the emotion and relief as he crossed the line, you could just see the saucepan lifting off his head that day.

“It was the same at Royal Ascot and Goodwood with Bow Echo and it’s been phenomenal. People keep saying, ‘you must be really proud’, and we are, but he’s just so good, he so talented, what he does is unbelievable.” 

Special praise is reserved for Loughnane’s mother, Clare, ahead of a moment boldly predicted by the jockey’s ‘kingmaker’ agent Tony Hind earlier in the year.

“It’s Billy’s day on Saturday and hopefully there will be many more,” continued Loughnane.

“For a young man it shows dreams can happen and dreams can come true. We try to get there for most of his big races and the nice thing is he wants us there as well. We’re a very close family and he’s been at my feet since he was able to come with me to the yard.

“His agent Tony Hind has made 10 champions, he’s the kingmaker. We were at Royal Ascot earlier this year and he said to me one day, ‘do me a favour go down to the parade ring’, so I went down and he rings me and he says, ‘can you see that stage, Billy will be on there in October’.

“But the biggest influence I would say is his mum and his brother. Billy rings Jack every day about various things and his mum manages everything for both me and Billy! She is the woman really who needs all the plaudits and all the credit.”