Champion apprentice Joe Leavy to make Breeders’ Cup debut in £2 million race
The 20-year-old, who clinched the claimers’ crown on October 18, is already in California preparing for the biggest ride of his career on Rashabar
Champion apprentice Joe Leavy has landed the biggest ride of his fledgling career. The 20-year-old was crowned champion Flat apprentice for the first time at British Champions’ Day at Ascot on October 18.
Now he is in Del Mar, California preparing to make his US debut on the Brian Meehan-trained Rashabar in the £2 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday. Leavy works for Richard Hannon, as do both his parents. He is the latest rider to come off a Hannon production line which has produced the likes of Ryan Moore, Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle.
When he was 16 years old Leavy had a bad fall at the stables after which he was in a coma for a while, having suffered a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and broken collarbone.
In 2024 he missed out on the apprentice title by two to Sean D Bowen but has used that experience to rise to the top in 2025, forging strong relationships in the process.
One of those has been with Brian Meehan, trainer of the Royal Ascot winner Rashabar, who has picked him to partner the colt in the 1m4f Turf, which the trainer has won twice before with Dangerous Midge and Red Rocks.
Meehan said: “Joe has ridden him a lot of work. We’ve had a good year together and his previous two riders aren’t available. He’s a good young rider.
“You don’t go to a race like this without some measure of high confidence. We think he has a really solid chance.
“I think the trip will be fine on this particular track under these conditions. He gets a mile-and-a-quarter well, even last time on ground he didn’t particularly like. He loves fast ground, has good tactical speed and the track will be ideal.”
Leavy, speaking on the Del Mar backstretch to FanDuelTV during the Breakfast at the Breeders’ Cup show, described receiving his trophy at Ascot as “a day where a dream came true”.
“Only just over a week later to be stood here now is quite surreal,” he said. “It’s my first time over here. I came early to try to get as much experience of the track and American racing as I could before stepping into Saturday.”
Rashabar will meet three of Europe's biggest stars in Minnie Hauk, Rebel’s Romance and Goliath in the Turf.
Leavy added: “On his pedigree he is bred to get the trip and we’ve seen on his last couple of runs he does stay well. We are going into new ground up another couple of furlongs but I think round three bends will definitely help him.”