Billy ‘the Kid’ and Bow Echo public favourites after great escape at Goodwood

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 both horse and rider that should see the pair of them graduate to the turf’s established elite.

Loughnane was brilliant on Bow Echo: cool, confident, patient and then decisive as he extracted the three-year-old from a scrum of horses at the two-furlong pole and launched him down the middle of the track. Ryan Moore and Gstaad, the runner-up behind Bow Echo in both the 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes, grabbed a useful lead while his old rival was stuck in traffic, but Loughnane had total confidence in Bow Echo’s finishing speed and they chased him down, amid a huge roar from the stands, with a few strides to spare.

Bow Echo is now unbeaten in six starts, and the first horse since the incomparable Frankel to complete the milers’ triple crown of wins in the 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes. His jockey, meanwhile, is swiftly becoming the public face of Flat racing – an heir to Lester and Frankie whose first name is enough, and a showman who enjoys the winning moments every bit as much as his backers.

“We [Loughnane and George Boughey, Bow Echo’s trainer] have watched millions of these races back,” Loughnane said, “and we always felt that the closer would almost certainly get up.

“We knew there would be plenty of pace. Once I found Ryan’s tail, I was happy enough, but then Christophe [Soumillon, on Puerto Rico] appeared on my outside, so I knew I was going to have a bit of a challenge getting him out. Once he did, he really motored home.

“Today was a tough race for him. There were plenty of runners and we ended up a long way back, but he has got a proper engine.”

Billy Loughnane on Bow Echo throws his goggles to the crowd as he celebrates in the winner’s enclosure after the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

After a slightly scrambled short-head defeat of Gstaad at Ascot last month, this half-length success, in Bow Echo’s first race in all-aged company, cemented his status as the best miler in Europe, with the strong possibility of further improvement to come.

“He has been in a couple of scraps recently and he’s shown fight today,” Boughey said. “He’s shown his turn of foot and it’s a career-best. A lot went wrong again but he was still able to win, and win well. I know it sounds mad, as he is unbeaten, but he is improving. He is learning to race and learning to get in a scrap.”

Bow Echo may head to France for his next start, in either the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville or the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp, while his long-term target is the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in Kentucky on 31 October.

For Loughnane, it could be another career-high, and on a global stage, at just 20 years of age.

“He is a real showboy, is he not?,” Boughey said. “He loves it. I was pretty nervous today going into the paddock, and he was just chilled out. He has got an amazing head on young shoulders, he has got every attribute and is the consummate professional.”

Soul can prove friendly for punters

The market is firmly behind the unbeaten Prix de Diane winner, Diamond Necklace, in the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday, but Aidan O’Brien’s filly faces a couple of strong older rivals on her first try in all-aged company and Friendly Soul (3.35) is an interesting bet at around 7-2 to upset the odds-on favourite.

John & Thady Gosden’s mare is just 1lb behind Diamond Necklace on Timeform’s ratings and remains lightly raced for a five-year-old, having missed the 2025 campaign after getting off the mark at Group One level in the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp in October 2024.

Friendly Soul endured a horrible start to her five-year-old campaign when she put her foot in a hole when leading a Listed race at Haydock in May, but showed she was none the worse for the experience when finishing third behind Blue Bolt, a subsequent Group One winner, at Royal Ascot last month.

That race was over a mile and the return to 10 furlongs – the Opera trip – on Thursday is another positive as Friendly Soul (3.35) attempts to reward the sporting decision to keep her in training with a second Group One win.

Goodwood 1.50 The lightly raced Ciarrai Abu would have been a more convincing winner at Ascot last time had he not drifted left in the closing stages and he looks sure to progress further stepping up to a mile-and-a-quarter.

Goodwood 2.25 This is a significant rise in grade for Flann Sunna but Simon & Ed Crisford’s colt looks up to the task after a near five-length success in a strong time at Ascot earlier this month.

Goodwood 3.00 A more competitive renewal of the Gordon Stakes than several recent runnings and Sahara King could be the value bet at around 6-1. He was given plenty to do in the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot and stayed on well from the back to finish within six lengths of the winner, so the extra two furlongs here should suit.

Goodwood 4.10 The race did not unfold to Pilu’s advantage at Newmarket last time but his earlier form when second at Leicester looks solid and this speed-favouring track is in his favour, too.