Teenage riding sensation Billy Loughnane has capped an extraordinary three-year ascent by securing the prestigious title of the year's most prolific Flat jockey. The 19-year-old has been crowned the 2025 Annual Flat Jockey Champion after riding a career-best 207 winners during the calendar year.
Metoric Rise from Apprentice to Champion
Loughnane's journey to the top has been breathtakingly fast. He burst onto the racing scene as a 16-year-old at the end of 2022, having ridden just six winners initially. His potential was immediately obvious, and by January 2023, just twelve weeks after taking out his licence, he had steered home an impressive 23 winners. His rapid progress was formally recognised at the end of that year when he was crowned champion apprentice, joining an elite list of previous winners that includes modern greats like Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori, and William Buick.
A Record-Breaking Season in the Saddle
The 2025 campaign has been Loughnane's most successful by a significant margin. His tally of 207 victories came from 1,267 rides, showcasing both his consistency and skill. This figure represents a massive 27% increase on his 2024 total of 162 wins and a staggering 57% jump from the 130 winners he rode in 2023. A key milestone was reached in December 2025 at Lingfield, where he secured his 200th winner of the year, becoming the only jockey to hit that mark in 2025 and sealing an unassailable lead in the championship race.
Perhaps even more astonishing is his overall career trajectory. Loughnane has become one of the fastest jockeys in history to reach 500 British wins, achieving the feat in just three seasons. This pace dwarfs that of many legends; for comparison, Oisin Murphy, Frankie Dettori and Tom Marquand all took six seasons, while Ryan Moore needed seven.
Gratitude and Ambition for the Future
In response to his landmark achievement, Loughnane expressed immense pride and gratitude. "Reaching 200 winners in Britain in 2025 and 500 winners overall is something I’m incredibly proud of," he said. He was quick to credit the trainers and owners who have supported his career, singling out George Boughey for early support and Charlie Appleby and the Godolphin team for their belief and opportunities.
Despite his phenomenal success, the young jockey insists he is still learning. "I’m still learning all the time, and I feel like I’m improving with every season," Loughnane noted. His ambition, however, is clear and focused: "The next big aim is to keep pushing on and give myself a proper chance of challenging for the Jockeys’ Championship in 2026." With his current rate of progress, few would bet against him.
