Loughnane breaks into the big time with Bow Echo’s Classic strike

The prince will always become king eventually, and on a sunkissed afternoon at Newmarket it was Billy Loughnane – long tipped to rule the weighing room – who enjoyed his crowning moment.

For all the 2000 Guineas demolition from George Boughey’s Bow Echo assures the son of Night Of Thunder his own superstar status, it is Loughnane who was the box-office star earning the majority of the rapturous applause as he returned to the winner’s enclosure.

It was of course a first Classic of what will surely be many for the 20-year-old, but those present witnessed an ‘I was there moment’, one that has seemed almost destiny since the early days of dominating the all-weather for his father Mark in the depths of winter.

Loughnane said: “I can’t put this into words. I’ve wanted to be a jockey ever since the day I could talk and I’ve put so much work into a day like today.

“I was in tears when I saw my dad and him and mum have put so much work into me. They taught me how to ride and this is great. I’ve just turned 20 and to do something like that is a dream. Not many people have the opportunity to ride a horse like that and I know how fortunate I am.

“I’ve watched millions of Guineas and it went perfect. He got into a nice rhythm and picked up well when I needed him.

“He’s superb, he has a big turn of foot and it’s great to see him do it on the big stage.”

Amongst those in attendance to greet the returning heroes were the jockey’s parents, struggling to hold back their emotions, desperate to simply embrace their Classic-winning son who is barely out of his teenage years.

It will long prove a day to remember for the Loughnane family, as Billy now puts his name on a roll of honour that includes all the sport’s most decorated names.

Mark Loughnane said: “It was a great day for the family and we came here hoping. You let yourself dream just in case, but you can’t really do that because it’s a Classic full of good horses and the best trainers.

“Billy and George were so confident and what a ride. He was the wrong side of the track, but he’s given it a peach and it doesn’t get any better.

“When he was pony racing he was very good and he’s been on horses since the moment he was born.

“He’s had to be surrounded by the right people and George Boughey has taken him on since he was a 7lb claimer and I remember asking him to take a chance on him at the sales and he did and I can’t thank him enough.

“As a family you don’t get many days like this. I have watched the likes of Mick Kinane and Johnny Murtagh win Guineas on this day and did I ever think my son would get there? Probably not.

“But fair play to him and that was awesome, all the credit has to go to him as he works so hard.”

The best assessment – and perhaps a more objective one of Loughnane’s achievement – came from the man who has entrusted him with the very best of his growing Newmarket yard.

Every jockey needs a flagship performer and in Bow Echo, Loughnane now has a horse on which he can dazzle, one Boughey believes can highlight every inch of the talent locked inside his stable jockey.

Boughey said: “He’s an outstanding jockey, an outstanding human being, but the consummate professional as well.

“We walked the track three or four times this week and he had plans in his head. He’s destined to be champion jockey and he’s showcased today all the talent that we have always known is in there.

“He’s a 20-year-old and to hold his nerve and do what he did… There were two stars out there today and I get to work with one of them every day and I’m lucky to train the other.”