Billy Loughnane threw his goggles towards an ecstatic crowd packed around the winner’s enclosure as he returned after a thrilling, unforgettable success on Bow Echo in the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday. He missed, but it was the only mistake he made all day.
Technically at least, Billy “the Kid” is still a fair nickname for Bow Echo’s 20-year-old jockey. This, though, was a coming-of-age moment for horse and rider that should see the pair of them graduate to the turf’s established elite.
