Claimer Louis Steward wins £265,000 Betfred Ebor at York

Posted on by

FIVE pound claimer Louis Steward (18) fulfilled the promise he has shown this season by winning the £265,000 Betfred Ebor Handicap at York yesterday. He rode 20-1 shot Mutual Regard to an assured victory in the race for Irish trainer Johnny Murtagh. He came with a well-judged late run to hit the front approaching the post and won by one and a quarter lengths.

Murtagh, who had never heard of the young rider, had been left without an apprentice jockey just before the meeting, when his own received a ban. Mutaual Regard’s owner Andrew Tinkler told him Louis was the apprentice to book.
He explained:”Andrew Tinkler is a man that’s hot on his stats and he said that Louis was the man to ride.I was close with Royal Diamond but this is a good horse. I was nearly going to run him in the Lonsdale Cup, but we went for this instead and it has worked a treat.”
Appprentice jockey Louis Steward Photo: Jeannie Knight

Appprentice jockey Louis Steward
Photo: Jeannie Knight

Based with Newmarket trainer Michael Bell, the young rider had made an impressive start this year when winning the Hands and Heels Apprentice Championship in March  This was his 32nd win of 2014, and he has also approaching 50 places to his credit.

His home is in Great Yarmouth, but he had been riding from an early age, competing in show jumping and gymkhanas. His mother owned racehorse Jupiter Island, trained by Clive Britain.

But his grandfather, Eric Steward, who has a strong knowledge of racing, has been his biggest influence.Louis started going racing with him when he was 14 and went to the British Racing School in Newmarket when he was 15.

Now the roles have been reversed and his grandfather often goes to the races with Louis, driving him  to many of the courses. The young apprentice’s previous wins have been for a variety of trainers, including Lady Cecil, Paul Cole, Lee Carter, Eve Johnson Houghton and John Gallagher as well as Michael Bell.

Leave a Reply