Fallon salutes ‘dedicated’ and ‘competitive’ Loughnane

Kieren Fallon has hailed Billy Loughnane’s dedication after he surpassed his 21st century record for winners in a calendar year at Lingfield on New Year’s Eve.

The six-time champion jockey, who is widely recognised as one of the best to grace a saddle, set the previous modern day high of 221 in 2003, but after watching 19-year-old Loughnane eclipse his tally he saluted a rider he believes is reaping the rewards his talent and commitment deserves.

Fallon told the Press Association: “He’s a lovely kid from a good family and deserves it. He’s getting plenty of great support, but he looks like he works hard and is dedicated.

“I’ve ridden work with him and he led me on some horses my friend Paul Cafferty has with his father (Mark Loughnane). Paul wanted me to have a sit on them to see where we were going and Billy led me on them and I thought, ‘what a lovely kid, nice and polite and a good rider’.”

Fallon knows just what it would have taken for Loughnane to break a record that had stood for 22 years and one which current champion Oisin Murphy fell one short of during his own best-ever campaign of 2019.

And the decorated Irishman, who is now a member of Charlie Appleby’s backroom team, sees a thirst for racing and riding winners as the main similarity the duo share.

Fallon went on: “For me it was relatively easy to rack up that number as I loved going racing and I loved riding, which is what Billy has said.

“All I can say is I wish I was riding against him as I loved the competition and the challenge of testing myself against the best and those who are up and coming. He’s the same, he’s dedicated and competitive.

“They are a lot more dedicated these days than we would be, myself, Pat (Eddery), Wally (Swinburn), we would have a lot of fun, but the kids today knuckle right down and do things right.”

Loughnane’s rapid rise up the riding ranks has seen him utilised by Appleby who provided his maiden Group One winner when deputising for William Buick aboard Rebel’s Romance in the summer.

With George Boughey also a chief ally and the likes of his Bow Echo to look forward to in 2026, Fallon sees no reason why the youngster’s star will not continue to shine brightly in a year that has already started with a notable success in Meydan.

“There’s nothing like it really, travelling the world and riding good horses,” said Fallon.

“He’s got loads of support and he’s got Charlie’s machines to ride, George Boughey and his dad behind him so there is no reason why he can’t carry on doing the same.

“If you stay clear of the stewards room and avoid injury you are halfway there. That was always my idea and then it’s just a case of doing the job.”