MAYO earned the ultimate reward for putting their faith in youth last weekend and the feature races at Galway and Goodwood in recent days came with a nod to that same philosophy.

When it was publicly confirmed in January 2025 that the then 18-year-old Billy Loughnane would become George Boughey’s number-one rider, it was a pretty bold call from the Newmarket trainer to put a teenager at the forefront of his burgeoning operation. Time has clearly proven that to be an inspired call.