Saffie Osborne makes history with St Leger win on Highwayman

Saffie Osborne has become the first woman to win a British Classic. She rode Highwayman to win the St Leger at Doncaster, the oldest of the Classics, the five most prestigious flat races for three-year-olds. BBC Sport

This was the 250th running of the St Leger. Highwayman led home a one-two for Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien, with his pair finishing clear at Town Moor, according to the Racing Post.

It was Osborne's first ride for O'Brien. She stepped in because his regular rider, Dylan Browne McMonagle, was injured. One chance. She took it.

The history is stark. Before Osborne, only six women had ridden in British Classics in 250 years. Between them they shared just 12 rides, according to figures from the National Horseracing Museum. Osborne turned the next ride into a victory.

Osborne told BBC Sport the win fulfilled a dream she has held since she was five. Winning a British Classic was what she wanted more than anything, she said. Now it is done, she said her fear of failure has disappeared.

She arrives in the form of her life. Osborne has ridden 60 winners since the start of May. That run has lifted her to eighth in the Flat Jockeys' Championship, the season-long table decided on number of wins.

That tally has been built on the road. Osborne estimates she drives 65,000 miles a year, often alone. It is yard to yard, track to track, early starts and late finishes.

What makes this stand out is how ordinary that graft is. Most jockeys live it. Few get a call for a Classic horse at short notice, and fewer still get one good enough to win. For Osborne, the spare ride became the ride of her career.

For fans, this means a new name in the record books. The St Leger has been run since 1776. After 250 runnings, it has its first winning woman rider.