Star shines brightest for hat-trick hero Billy Loughnane

PA Sport Staff
September 20, 2024 4:38 pm

Young jockey takes feature at Ayr with Richard Hughes-trained filly.

Star Of Mehmas was the highlight of a good day at the office for Billy Loughnane as the rising star of the weighing room claimed a treble at Ayr on Friday.

Loughnane kicked off the afternoon with success in the very first race, taking the Livescore Bet Fillies’ Nursery Handicap aboard George Boughey’s Beronia at 6-1.

The young jockey then partnered Richard Hughes’ Star Of Mehmas as she claimed her third win on the bounce in the British EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes.

The filly made her debut at Windsor in July and then switched to the all-weather for runs at Lingfield and Wolverhampton, winning both times by comfortable margins over five furlongs.

At Ayr she stepped up to Listed level as a 12-1 chance and proved herself to have plenty of promise with a smart one-length victory.

“It’s been a good day, she’s very straightforward and she was tough when I asked her to pick up,” the rider told Racing TV of Star Of Mehmas.

“Richard Hughes told me that she was very straightforward and told me to just have her in the first couple of horses and see how she goes from there, she’s got a very nice cruising speed.”

The final goal of the hat-trick came in the Microtech Group Handicap, where Loughnane was aboard Jim Goldie’s 9-2 chance Yaaser.

The horse was making a swift return to the track having run on Thursday when unplaced over the same trip, but this time he came out on top to prevail by three-quarters of a length from stablemate Braes Of Doune, who also ran on Thursday.