Bow Echo shines in scintillating Sussex Stakes triumph

Every now and then a horse comes along who sets himself apart from the rest. They don’t come along often, but when they do they are worth their weight in gold. Bow Echo is such a horse, writes Paul Alster.

Unbeaten in his three starts as a juvenile, culminating with an impressive win in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in September 2025, the son of Night Of Thunder, trained so impressively by George Boughey (pictured below), made the best possible start to his three-year-old campaign when emerging from the pack to blast home to a memorable victory in the Group 1 Betfred 2000 Guineas back at Newmarket in May, taking the scalp of Aidan O’Brien’s very smart Gstaad. O’Brien’s star had been runner-up in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes as a juvenile before winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in November. The form of the 2000 Guineas looked rock solid.

Subsequent to that first meeting, Gstaad went on to easily land the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh before the first two home from the HQ classic race met again at Royal Ascot in June in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes over the round mile. This time they produced a titanic battle, Bow Echo recovering from an awkward start to come with a late surge and eventually prevail over his old rival by a short-head, having beaten him by almost three lengths in their previous meeting.

With new star jockey on the block, 20-year-old Billy Loughnane as his regular partner, Bow Echo put his unbeaten record on the line at Glorious Goodwood earlier this week in the Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes, the stage set not only for a third clash in less than three months with Ballydoyle’s Gstaad, but also with top older horses Opera Ballo, Ten Bob Tony, Lake Forest and Never So Brave, among others. It promised to be a thriller, but it delivered more than anyone could have anticipated.

When the 125-rated Opera Ballo hit the front two furlongs from home under William Buick, hopes must have been high among his supporters that the Godolphin star would go on beat the two star three-year-olds, but Gstaad went straight out after him and battled into the lead half a furlong out as Bow Echo – how had a bump with Zavateri a furlong earlier – looked certain to taste defeat for the first time. He still had two lengths to find.

Belying his years, Loughnane kept his cool and conjured an amazing turn of foot from Bow Echo, a rare surge that defied logic and reeled in poor Gstaad and beat him by half a length, leading only a couple of strides from the line when victory moments earlier had appeared almost impossible. The reception that greeted Bow Echo, Billy Loughnane and George Boughey was something extra special, bringing back to mind the public reaction to two other racing greats this century; Sea The Stars and, of course, Frankel. It was spine tingling! Loughnane’s enthusiastic and demonstrative post-race celebrations with the connections of the winner – and with his own family and friends – was a breath of fresh air when compared to the low-key nod of the head and a handshake seen from Ballydoyle and Godolphin connections over the last few decades.

Can Bow Echo get any better? Where will he go next? Those are the questions the racing world is asking. Could Gstaad somehow take his revenge? Might Bow Echo go up in trip this season? Will he be allowed to run again as four-year-old, or will the already priceless colt be too valuable to risk in 2027 and be sent off to what might be another great career at stud?

We shall simply have to wait and see, but for the time being let’s sit back and enjoy the ride for the remainder of this sun-drenched campaign. It would be incredible if Bow Echo could end his career unbeaten, and who is going to beat him if he continues to produce performances such at that in the Sussex Stakes. It was a privilege to watch.

Paul Alster has broadcast and reported on the British racing industry for four decades as a commentator, journalist, TV and radio presenter, betting correspondent, SP Returner, tipster and form analyst, among other things.