Osborne relishing upcoming Hong Kong stint Groundbreaking jockey Saffie Osborne will tick off another item on a dwindling wish list by rounding off her dream 2026 season in style with a spell in Hong Kong. Osborne, 24, became the first female rider to win a British Classic when steering Joseph O’Brien’s Highwayman to victory at Doncaster in the St Leger in September. It was the high point of a brilliant season in which Osborne has broken through into the elite with a host of big race wins and she is on course to beat her previous best annual tally of 87 set in 2024. Tight Turns and Hong Kong Ambitions “I don’t think I’ve met anyone with a bad word to say about racing in Hong Kong. The atmosphere is incredible. The racing, jockeys and horses are all high-class, so it’s where you want to be,” she said. “I asked people about riding at Happy Valley and they said to imagine Chester the other way round, but 10 times tighter. I’ve been practising getting my horses out of the gates pretty fast the last few weeks. “It’s very exciting and it can only further your progress as a jockey, by learning different things each place you go to. I’m just looking forward to the experience and hopefully I ride a couple of winners, because I know that’s pretty hard. “I’ve been speaking to a lot of people about it and just trying to understand it as best as possible. I’ve watched a lot of racing from Hong Kong over the years. It’s going to be something completely different and I sometimes have to remind myself that 12-year-old Saffie would think that my life is the coolest thing ever. “I get to travel around the world riding horses and it doesn’t get much better than that. I’ve always dreamed of going to Hong Kong and this time last year I probably never thought the opportunity would arise.” Reflecting on a Landmark Campaign Osborne is still pinching herself about how well this season has played out with a host of big-race wins and a profile that has soared. “I think this is the first year of my career that I’ve truly enjoyed every moment,” she said. “I wasn’t in the country until April and then I had 20 winners in May, and it just kept rolling from there. It’s been amazing. I feel like I’ve been able to really relax into the rhythm of the season and I’ve been lucky to ride lots of big winners at all the big festivals.” Osborne’s Hong Kong stint will run for six and a half weeks from November 8 until December 23.
