Saffie Osborne becomes first female jockey to win British Classic

Saffie Osborne made history on Saturday, becoming the first female jockey to win a British Classic horse race. The 24-year-old rider guided Highwayman to victory in the 250th running of the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster, the world's oldest Classic race. Highwayman, trained by Joseph O'Brien, won the Group 1 contest by two and a half lengths. The horse was sent off at 11-1 odds, while the pre-race favorite Christmas Day finished ninth. O'Brien also trained the second-place finisher, Enceladus, completing a one-two for his stable. Osborne was a late replacement for the ride, having not secured a mount in the race earlier in the week. "I definitely didn't have this on the bingo card for this week," Osborne said after the race. "I didn't even have a ride in the St Leger on Monday morning, let alone one with a chance." The victory marks a significant milestone in flat racing, following Rachael Blackmore's historic Grand National win in jumps racing. No female jockey has won any of the other four British Classics: the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks, or the Derby. Highwayman is owned by John Neocleous and was bred in France.