Saffie Osborne etched her name into the record books at Doncaster as she became the first woman to ride the winner of a British Flat racing Classic.
The 24-year-old steered 11-1-shot Highwayman to a commanding victory in the St Leger.
The triumph came on a day of particular significance for the race, which was celebrating its 250th anniversary as the world’s oldest Classic on the Flat.
No female jockey had previously won any of the five British Flat Classics – the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, Oaks, Derby or St Leger – making Osborne’s achievement in the season’s final Classic all the more incredible.
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Reacting to her incredible success, Osborne said: “I’m in shock! I burst into tears!
“I was in front and I knew I hadn’t seen anyone from two out and then I felt Billy [Loughnane, on Enceladus] come to my girth, but he went again and going across the line.
“I’ve never celebrated before, as I’ve never won a race good enough to celebrate, but to win that was incredible.”
Osborne explained she “had a really good feeling” ahead of the day and used that as momentum in the race.
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She continued: “You are always quite hesitant to say that, as most of the time you are wrong.
“I’m just in shock, I didn’t have that on my bingo card for the week, I didn’t have a ride in the Leger this time last week.
“I found out on Tuesday; it just appeared on my booked rides, and I thought: ‘Oh, I’ve got a ride in the Leger – oh jeez, I’ve got quite a good ride in the Leger.'”
Osborne was presented with her prize by Princess Anne, as she became the first female winner in 250 years.
Describing how the race panned out, Osborne said: “I was more forward than I’d planned to be, but he travelled so beautifully I didn’t mind hitting the front sooner than planned if I was going to hit the front.
“But he kept going well, and he’s obviously trained by an absolute master in Joseph [O’Brien].
“It was just a real honour to even pick up the ride, never mind win a Classic.
“It’s something we all want to do, but did I think at the start of the year I was going to win a Classic?
“Absolutely not. I think I’m going to start crying again now.”
Osborne continued: “When I saw it was the 250th year, I thought, ‘surely there has to be a good story this year’, and I just thought a girl winning it was quite a nice one after 250 years.
“This is the kind of thing that changes your life; no one can take it away from you. I still can’t believe it.”
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