Saffie Osborne, a 24-year-old British jockey, has become the first woman to win a British Classic after her victory at the St Leger race in Doncaster on Saturday. This achievement marks a significant milestone as only six female jockeys have had rides in British Classics over the past 250 years, totaling just twelve rides among them. Osborne credits this success for alleviating her "fear of failure" and sees it as validation that her career was worthwhile despite the challenges faced in a male-dominated sport.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
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Story summary
Saffie Osborne, a 24-year-old jockey, became the first woman to win a British Classic when she won the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday. This victory fulfilled her lifelong dream of winning one of the five Classics in British Flat racing. Despite facing loneliness and numerous injuries from falls, including broken bones, Osborne estimates driving 65,000 miles annually for races. She noted that while men and women compete against each other in racing, opportunities have not been equal; only six female jockeys have had rides in British Classics over the past 250 years, totaling just 12 rides according to the National Horseracing Museum. Her win at the St Leger marks a significant milestone in the history of British horse racing.
Written for “St Leger Race Win” on 2026-09-17,
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- Published
St Leger-winning jockey Saffie Osborne says the "fear of failure" has left her after she became the first woman to win a British Classic.
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she → publish → Classic
The 24-year-old said that despite wanting to achieve "so much more", her victory at Doncaster on Saturday means she will always be able to look back and think her career was "worth it".
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career → say → Saturday
Osborne said the sport can be "very lonely" - she estimates she drives 65,000 miles a year, often alone - and she has suffered some serious falls, breaking numerous bones.
But she told BBC Sport that winning one of British Flat racing's five Classics had been a dream since she was five.
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she → say → Classics
She has now fulfilled it.
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She → fulfil → it
While racing is a sport where men and women compete against one another, opportunities have not been equal.
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opportunities → compete → one
Only six female jockeys have had rides in British Classics in 250 years, totalling 12 rides, according to the National Horseracing Museum.
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jockeys → have → Museum
"It has been a male-dominated sport for an extremely long time, and I suppose it's becoming less and less of a conversation, which is quite nice," she said.
"When people talk about the firsts of what women have done, I think to have my own one is quite special.
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have → dominate → one
"I think it's also quite poignant because there's so few left of first things for women to do in this sport."
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women → think → sport
On Saturday's groundbreaking win, she added: "That sort of fear of failure has sort of disappeared.
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sort → add → failure
However much more I want to achieve, and I want to achieve so much more, it's kind of like I can always look back on my career and know that it was all worth it.
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it → want → career
"I got to achieve what I always dreamed of achieving."
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I → got → ?
Osborne's ride on Highwayman in the St Leger was her first for trainer Joseph O'Brien, and only came about because of an injury to regular jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle.
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ride → come → McMonagle
She acknowledged that the success of a jockey is dependent on "being chosen", but is adamant that her gender isn't a factor in the opportunities she gets.
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she → acknowledge → opportunities
"I don't feel like in my position now that I'm ever looked at any differently because I'm a woman," she said.
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she → feel → position
"Any jockey, when you're starting out, it takes years to gain respect and be looked at as a person that people would want to use.
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people → start → that
And I don't think my gender at this point would have had anything to do with it.
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gender → think → it
"Hopefully Saturday will open more doors.
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Saturday → open → doors
But when it comes to me as a female jockey, I don't think I'm viewed any differently within the industry."
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I → come → industry
Osborne also said she is treated as "one of the lads" in the weighing room, and has never experienced sexism and misogyny unlike other female jockeys, including Bryony Frost.
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she → say → Frost
Jockey Robbie Dunne was banned from racing for 18 months, with three months suspended, for bullying fellow rider Frost in 2021, which was later cut to 10 months on appeal.
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which → ban → appeal
Having ridden 60 winners since the start of May, Osborne is currently sitting eighth in the Flat Jockeys Championship, and is open about dreaming of being champion jockey in the future.
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Osborne → ride → future
She would be the first female jockey to achieve that.
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She → achieve → that
"You wouldn't be a jockey if you didn't want to be champion jockey one day.
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you → want → ?
I think this is the first year that maybe I truly believe that I could one day," she said.
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she → think → ?
"It's been a phenomenal year that's been topped off by Saturday.
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that → top → Saturday
I have a very good agent [Tony Hind] and agents are so important in this sport.
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agents → have → sport
He's got an amazing book of jockeys, the likes of Ryan Moore, William Buick, Billy Loughnane.
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He → get → Moore
"He makes champion jockeys, he's had a lot of them.
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he → make → them
And yeah, I would love to be the next one on the list."
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I → love → list
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