Richard Spencer backs Osborne for title challenge

Richard Spencer has backed Saffie Osborne to become the first female rider to be champion jockey after winning the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.

The 24-year-old is a big part of Spencer’s operation and has a strike rate of just under 24 per cent for the Newmarket handler.

Osborne is the first female rider to win a British Classic after striking gold aboard the Joseph O’Brien-trained Highwayman on Town Moor, and one her biggest supporters believes she can go on to create even more history.

Spencer said: “It was only a matter of time until she did it. She has got a massive amount of talent and is very dedicated.

“It was great to be there and see it happen. Her stats, not just for us, but for everyone else are amazing. She really knows the industry inside out.

“It was a massive help being brought up with her dad (Jamie Osborne) being such a good jockey when he was riding and obviously he’s training now. She’s very talented, dedicated and understands the game and driven, so you can see why she’s getting results.

“It’s a massively significant success. A lot of people have tried to do it but she’s going to be the first female jockey that can be champion jockey one day, so hopefully we can be part of it.”

Owen Burrows has been another significant supporter of Osborne this season, notably giving her a Classic ride on Touleen in the 1000 Guineas, while she was also on board when the same filly finished second in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Lambourn trainer believes the conversation needs to stop focussing on gender and turn to how good a jockey Osborne is, and what she can do to inspire the next generation of girls coming through the ranks.

“It was brilliant to see. To be fair to her she has been riding great all season and riding loads of winners, so I felt it probably was only a matter of time to get the right opportunity,” said Burrows.

“I think we can leave this ‘female’ jockey now. She is just classed as a top jockey. Over the next X amount of years we could leave that behind. We should be just describing (these girls) as top jockeys.

“I’m sure in a year or two there will be another one coming through. Saffie has followed Hollie (Doyle) and Hollie followed Hayley (Turner), and some of the girls will be looking up to Saffie now she is paving the way, similar to what Rachael Blackmore did.”

Highwayman’s trainer Joseph O’Brien had immediately put his congratulations in a text to Osborne from Leopardstown, but reflected later that the Leger-winning jockey and Billy Loughnane – who rode the winner’s stablemate Enceladus to finish second at Doncaster – could be “the future” for British racing.

“I booked her through her agent Tony Hind. It’s obviously a big week with jockeys in Ireland and I asked Tony who he had available and he said Billy and Saffie, so it was perfect,” said O’Brien.

“She’s had a great season and what an achievement – the first girl to ride a British Classic winner is huge.

“Billy and Saffie are obviously two top-class riders and the future.”

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Brant Dunshea also congratulated Osborne on her “monumental” moment of history.

He said: “Our congratulations go to Saffie Osborne for what is a monumental achievement. Her name is now etched forever in the history books, and it is a fitting way to mark the 250th running of the world’s oldest Classic.

“The atmosphere at Doncaster was electric and the very best of our wonderful sport has been showcased to the world.

“British racing is steeped in hundreds of years of history yet continues to break new ground and create sporting folklore. Few other sports can dream of producing moments like this”.