Billy Loughnane added another Group 1 to his CV as Comanche Brave took the July Cup. The Donnacha O’Brien charge had displayed strong promise dropped in trip season, finishing fifth to Ka Ying Rising in April.
He was again behind Satono Reve in the QEII at Ascot, but reversed that form, fending off Commonwealth Cup winner Venetian Sun in the process.
Comanche Brave travelled strongly throughout the race, scarcely looking in danger throughout. Speaking to the Press Association after, via Racing TV, Donnacha O’Brien said: “He travelled beautifully and Billy gave him a lovely ride. It was an easy watch.
“He was very impressive today I thought. There’s not much margin between these sprinters. He’s won a Group Two so where else is there to go but keep trying to win Group Ones? We weren’t afraid to try it, and I said to Billy just let him jump. I thought he travelled very impressively.
“He’s in all the big sprints going forward. We want to win Group Ones, that is the goal of our stable. I probably pitch horses in at the deep end sometimes, but the goal is the same.”
“I get a lot of kick out of riding these big races” – Billy Loughnane
It was another top level success for Billy Loughnane following his efforts on Bow Echo this season. The 20-year-old picked up the spare ride, stating: “Tony Hind my agent does a fantastic job. He sent me a message saying I think we might have Comanche Grey for the July Cup. I said you’re joking. He said he just has to be confirmed tomorrow and thankfully he was. The rest is history.
“It was a fantastic spare ride to pick up. He’s a horse that’s really just beginning to learn how to sprint. He’s obviously been tried over further but the race today couldn’t have gone better.
I got onto the back of the Japanese horse who was a perfect target. My one instruction was to just nurse him for as long as I could. I managed to wade into the furlong pole, and he did well from there on.
Billy Loughnane’s rapid rise to the stop shows no signs of slowing down as he bids for the Champion-Jockey title.
“I get a lot of kick out of riding these big races,” said Loughnane. I’m 20 years old. I’m fortunate enough to be able to pick up rides in them and just learning from that is everything.
And to be fortunate enough to win some Group 1s is what I wanted, and what I set myself as a target this year. To ride two or three Group 1 winners in England was what I wanted. Thankfully that’s my third now and we’re only halfway through, so hopefully we’ll just keep going.”