Beylerbeyi and Loughnane star in Cesarewitch triumph

Ian Williams has worked wonders with the five-year-old since picking him up cheaply from France

Sat, 11 Oct, 2025 - 17:09

Adam Morgan

Billy Loughnane showed just why so many believe he is a future champion jockey when bringing Beylerbeyi from last to first to win the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap.

Ian Williams has worked wonders with the five-year-old since picking him up cheaply from France and he was winning for the eighth time for the yard.

Sent off at 7-1 and improving the best part of 20lb this season, the only doubt heading into the race was would he stay the two-mile-two-furlong Newmarket trip.

He had finished second in the Mallard at Doncaster over a mile and three-quarters, the furthest he had tackled on the Flat, but Loughnane could be spotted travelling sweetly from a long way out.

It soon became a question of if he would get a run but a smaller field than normal helped in that regard and when Dawn Rising drifted to his right, Loughnane pounced and he went on to win by a length and a quarter.

Dawn Rising stayed on for second, with Willie Mullins’ Bunting third and Divine Comedy fourth.

“He’s obviously a horse who is improving and my hardest part was getting him down to the start and switching him off,” said Loughnane.

“He bit his tongue on the way down and he was a ball of sweat, but it definitely didn’t stop him. All he’s done is improve all year.

“Once he found a nice rhythm, he picked up and extended well. I knew he would always finish off but didn’t know how far he would stay and I was just trying to nurse him into it and in the last furlong he kept on really well.”

He went on: “I’m in dreamland this season and very lucky to be riding for such good people. Winning big handicaps is always good and it’s great to give Ian a big winner.” Williams was delighted he was able to secure Loughnane’s services and was full of praise, having got his hands on the Cesarewitch trophy which has eluded him in recent years.

Williams said: “Don’t underestimate the ride the kid has given him there. It was a huge performance with a horse who is mad keen and never run over this trip before.

“The furthest he had run over is one-mile-six and we had to run him over a mile this time last year as he was so keen and wouldn’t settle.

“There’s a reason I booked Billy and he showed why there. It was a huge performance from the jockey and maybe not so much from the trainer, but I’m happy to be a part of it.

“I said to the owners after his run at Newbury (when third), this could actually be all the difference to winning the Cesarewitch as he won’t have a penalty and we’ll roll the dice.

“It’s great to finally win this race and we’ve been placed in it so many times.” On future plans, he added: “There’s the temptation to campaign him as a Cup horse now, but he could still be rated under 100 after this so he could still have a way to go before he is really a cup horse.

“He could be a horse who takes in the Red Sea Turf (in Saudi Arabia) and there’s lots of options with him but we’ve only had the staying option to go with him this season and we’ve rolled the dice to see if he could stay the two-miles-two-furlongs.

“It opens up more options now as he has the pace for shorter and if only he could settle you could run him at any distance you wanted, but before you can do anything you need him to settle so it can be hard work.”