Louis Steward

Louis Steward

Louis Steward rode 182 winners during his career in the saddle. He was apprenticed to Newmarket trainer Michael Bell and recorded his first big race success in 2014 when guiding the Johnny Murtagh-trained Mutual Regard to a 20-1 victory in the Ebor Handicap at York.

Later that same year he won both the Cambridgeshire and Ascot’s Balmoral Handicap on Bronze Angel for trainer Marcus Tregoning. He ended that 2014 season with a career-best tally of 37 winners. 

He landed his first Pattern race success on the late Queen Elizabeth II’s four-year-old Sextant, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, in the Listed Stand Cup Stakes at Chester on 14 September 2019. 

Louis rode what proved to be his final winner on the Saeed bun Suroor-trained White Moonlight in the Listed Queen Of Scots Fillies’ Stakes at Musselburgh on 3 June 2023. It was his first visit to the Scottish track and his sole success of 2023 from just eight rides all year. 

Seven days later he had his final ride when second, beaten half a length, on Live Your Dream, also trained by Saeed bin Suroor, at Haydock Park. He announced his retirement, aged 27, on 26 June 2023.

When, on Saturday, March 22, 2014, Louis Steward steered the Lee Carter-trained Munsarim into fourth place in the final of The All Weather Hands & Heels Series, he became that year's Champion All Weather Apprentice.

Ex-jockey Richard Perham, Senior Jockey Coach for The British Racing School said, 'The Hands & Heels Series provides a valuable showcase for young riding talent, and we're delighted to see Louis take the title.'

But the best was yet to come.

When Irish trainer Johnny Murtagh found himself without a jockey for Ebor runner Mutual Report because his own stable apprentice was banned, owner Andrew Tinkler suggested Louis as a replacement, citing him as a more than capable 5lb claimer.

Murtagh admitted that he had never heard of him, meeting Louis for the first time in the weighing room, and was impressed when the teenager told him how he wanted to ride the race.

Two furlongs out Louis still had a double handful and, with others around him toiling off the bit, Mutual Regard carried him to the front.

'I got there a bit too soon.' said Louis after, 'but others came with me and sat on his girth which kept him going forward.

'I'd ridden the race a thousand times in my head but I was still surprised when it came off.'

Mutual Regard was the 47th winner of Louis's career.

It had all started for Louis when, as a youngster, he had competed in show jumping and gymkhanas.

'I rode ponies when I was little.' he recalled. 'My mum's uncle owned a horse called Jupiter Island trained by Clive Brittain. A charity day was sometimes held at Yarmouth and I used to go and got into it that way.

'My grandfather (Eric Steward) is into racing and I began to build up a good understanding of the sport when I was 14 through watching it with him.

'I went to The British Racing School at Newmarket when I was 15, and it's just gone on from there.'

August 2014: Louis is based with leading Newmarket trainer Michael Bell and lives with retired jockey Philip Robinson who has become something of a mentor to him.

'Living with Philip is a good set up to have,' said Louis. 'He is definitely one of my idols and I can talk to him whenever I want. After every race we will go through it and if there's something I'm not sure about, he will help me out 100 per cent.'

Louis had originally been with another ex-jockey turned trainer Paul D'Arcy and had taken a few rides for the stable but when D'Arcy lost several horses, Louis got chatting to Phillip Robinson who arranged a meeting with Michael Bell.

Speaking of Bell,  Louis said, 'It's going well. 2013 was my first year with Michael and I've had fifty rides which is really good for a big stable like that. He's a good boss in the sense that he's willing to put you up, has a lot of faith in you and doesn't tie you down to instructions. He tells you to go out and enjoy yourself instead of putting a lot of pressure on me.'

He made his racecourse debut on 20 June, 2012, riding Mcbirney in an Apprentice race at Kempton.

Louis rode his first winner (on his seventh ride) on September 17, 2012, when Tigertoo won at Wolverhampton.

He rode out his 7lb claim at Lingfield Park on January 25, 2014. He also enjoyed his first double the same afternoon which, as he stated later, 'was one of those days which I will remember for a very long time.'

He'll remember Mutual Regard, too.