Recently crowned champion jockey Billy Loughnane has been appointed as a retained rider for Godolphin next season.
The 20-year-old rode 159 winners on his way winning his maiden jockeys' title last season during a coming-of-age year that also saw strike six times at Group 1 level.
Loughnane's first top-level success came aboard Rebel's Romance for Godolphin and he will now ride in the famous blue silks on a more regular basis.
Godolphin's chief operating officer, Hugh Anderson, said: "“Godolphin is delighted to have signed the most exciting young jockey riding in Europe. Billy Loughnane is an outstanding rider with a great future in our sport. We are thrilled that he has chosen our silks at this early stage in his career and he will formally start with us at the Dubai Carnival in December 2026.
"William Buick has ridden for us with distinction for over 10 years and we are very happy that he will continue as one of our two retained jockeys.”
A rising star of the weighing room ever since the very beginning of his career, last season was Loughnane's first campaign riding regular winners at the very, very top of the sport.
He steered now retired star three-year-old Bow Echo to Classic success in the 2,000 Guineas, as well as two further Group 1s victories in the St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes.
Libertango was another that Loughnane was closely associated with. A superb juvenile filly, wins at Royal Ascot, the York Ebor Festival and the Breeders' Cup saw her end the campaign as a leading juvenile.
“I am absolutely ecstatic that Godolphin has given me this opportunity," said Loughnane. "It is a huge honour to become a retained jockey for one of the best racing operations in the world. I want to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for giving me the opportunity to ride his outstanding horses at the highest possible competitive level.
"I rode my first G1 winner in the royal blue silks on Rebel’s Romance last year and I look forward to carrying them to victory in many more top-class races over the coming years.”
Godolphin themselves had yet another ultra-successful year, ending in a maiden Breeders' Cup Classic success courtesy of Sovereignty.
