Beylerbeyi comes from last to first to land Cesarewitch at Newmarket

Star jockey Billy Loughnane showed he had nerves of steel by bringing "amazing horse" Beylerbeyi from last to first to win the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch. The rider chose to be patient on the 7-1 shot, after he sweated up before the start and with possible doubts about staying the full 2m 2f at Newmarket.

However both negatives were quashed by Beylerbeyi, as he motored alongside fellow leading fancy Dawn Rising and went away by a length and a quarter. In a bad result for the bookies, 5-1 chance Bunting took third, with Divine Comedy (28-1) and 7-2 favourite Reverend Hubert the next two home.

"He is quite an amazing horse actually," said handler Ian Williams, who has helped find the best part of 20lb of improvement from the stayer. "He has never learned to settle and has always wanted further but has been so hard on himself.

“The big worries today were getting him to the start and settling in the race. He has done both and Billy gave him a superb ride."

READ MORE: Olly Murphy on why Sean Bowen is the best in the business - 'He isn't going anywhere!'

READ MORE: Racegoer Pat goes viral after surprising TV hosts Fran Berry and Gary O'Brien

The son of Shamardal gelding had all 18 of the other runners to pass with half a mile to race and was seen making rapid progress for Loughnane. The performance prevented a fourth success for horses trained in Ireland, as Joseph O'Brien trainee Dawn Rising could not match the winner's speed late on.

Reverend Hubert, whose trainer Charles Byrnes landed the big prize in 2022 with Run For Oscar, was well-backed by the betting public, but he faded into a place after leading four furlongs from home.

Loughnane, last season's champion apprentice, hit a new high this season at Group One level and is second to Oisin Murphy in the jockeys' championship which ends a week today.

“Beylerbeyi bit his tongue and was in a ball of sweat going down but it definitely didn’t stop him and all he’s done is improve this year," 19-year-old Loughnane said.

"I won on him at Newmarket in the middle of the year and the only slight doubt today was whether he’d stay the trip, but he definitely did. Winning big handicaps is always good and it’s great to get Ian a big winner too.”