Billy Loughnane triumphed in the inaugural UK & Ireland World Pool Jockeys’ Championship, winning £50,000 for his chosen charity, The Christy Lambe Foundation.
Loughnane, the 2023 champion apprentice, enjoyed a Royal Ascot to remember in June, registering wins aboard Rashabar in the Coventry Stakes and Soprano in the Sandringham Stakes.
Rashabar's shock win in the Coventry Stakes (replay below) proved instrumental in Loughnane winning the championship as points were awarded based on the World Pool win dividend.
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Rashabar's World Pool dividend of 129.90 saw Loughnane establish a clear lead and by the conclusion he had amassed 187.05 points, finishing almost 90 points clear of Oisin Murphy (97.25 points) in second.
Loughnane said: “I’m very grateful to World Pool for this prize. It’s a significant amount of money and I’m honoured to be able to donate it to The Christy Lambe Foundation.
“Riding in these races on the big days is what I’ve always dreamed of, so to win a few and to top the leaderboard is a fantastic feeling.
“The Christy Lambe Foundation was only set up two years ago and this money will be very important. The charity works to help people struggling with mental health and poverty, and it’s a cause that’s close to my heart as Christy’s oldest brother Michael is my sponsor, through his company Lambe Construction.”
It was also a successful season for Loughnane outside the World Pool events.
His 97 winners between 2000 Guineas Day and Champions Day saw him finish fourth in the Flat jockeys' championship, behind only Oisin Murphy, Rossa Ryan and Tom Marquand. He was narrowly denied a first Group 1 success when Swingalong was edged out by a head in the Champions Sprint at Ascot on Saturday.
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