Saffie Osborne cried tears of joy as Highwayman helped her make history in the 250th Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.
The 24-year-old became the first female rider to win a British Classic on the 11-1 chance, who finished in front of Joseph O'Brien-trained stablemate Enceladus, the mount of Billy Loughnane.
A Journey From Nowhere to the Winner's Circle
Highwayman had come from nowhere to make the 11-runner field, trailing home in his first few races before landing a Killarney maiden by nine lengths in July and following up at Listed level around Leopardstown.
His performance headlined Osborne's best ever season, with her horses earning more than £2.3 million of prize money.
"I need to stop crying!" said Saffie. "I didn't even have a ride in the Leger on Monday. Joseph said try and kick them down late at the furlong pole but I was more forward than anticipated. He was going so well I couldn't believe it. Thank you to Joseph and his team, it won't change his life but it's changed mine."
A Dominant Display
The huge result was registered in style, as Highwayman stayed on strongly to beat Enceladus (5-2) by two-and-a-half lengths, with Amelia Earhart (22-1) best of Aidan O'Brien's four-strong team in third.
Osborne, the daughter of former top National Hunt jockey Jamie Osborne, was bettering the fourth place by fellow leading female rider Hollie Doyle, who has Classic honours in France, on Interpretation in the 2021 renewal.
A Day to Remember
The latest historic achievement for the sport was watched live by a crowd of 30,250 people, with dozens of them backing Christmas Day to send him off the 7-4 favourite. But he faded off a strong pace to finish 9th, as Osborne, who came over to racing from the eventing world in 2020, began the celebrations.
"I would be nowhere without my agent Tony Hind and I know it's cliched but my mum, dad and whole family," Osborne added. "This means the absolute world and as I crossed the line I was in shock. It just doesn't feel real."
Osborne has battled various serious injuries on her way to the top, including when she suffered a fall at Wolverhampton in September 2025 and was forced to miss the remainder of the turf season. But she has put the setbacks behind her to captain the triumphant GB and Ireland team at the 2026 Ascot Shergar Cup, ride a treble on King George day around the same circuit and collect Newbury's Weatherbys Super Sprint on Zigazig Ah for one of her big supporters Richard Spencer and Phil Cunningham.
