Saffie Osborne set for bumper Hong Kong bow
Classic-winning jockey has 10 rides at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Saffie Osborne admitted to being “slightly shocked” to discover she had 10 rides for her Hong Kong debut at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The 24-year-old made global headlines when she became the first female rider to win a British Classic aboard the Joseph O’Brien-trained Highwayman in the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
She is now looking forward to kicking off a six-and-a-half-week stint in Hong Kong (November 8 to December 23) where she will start with a strong book of rides including David Eustace’s Silvery Breeze in the feature HK$4.2 million Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap.
“It’s been an amazing year,” said Osborne. “Having my first Group One winner – and it being in a Classic – was very special. It’s been a year that I could only have dreamt of at the start and hopefully it continues into the winter.
“I was maybe slightly shocked when told that I had 10 rides, but very excited. I’ve got a lot of homework to do before Sunday, but it’s also really nice to pick up a ride in the feature race.
“Being so light, I can do bottom weight, and that’s something that’s helped me a lot in the UK and hopefully it can help me here.”
Osborne will sit out just one of Sunday’s 11 races, but she has not arrived unprepared, having sought advice from colleagues before travelling to the Far East.
“Ryan Moore’s been very helpful to me,” said the Lambourn-raised rider. “He’s given me plenty of advice. I think also you just have to be able to adapt quickly. I’ve watched a lot of racing, and everyone this morning – meeting all the jockeys – they’ve all been very helpful.
“With having 10 rides on Sunday, hopefully, I’m going to pick it all up very quickly.”
During her spell in Hong Kong Osborne will compete in the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley on December 9, where she will go up against elite global riders including Moore, William Buick, Christophe Lemaire, James McDonald and Zac Purton.
She got her first taste of ‘The Valley’ at Wednesday night’s meeting and said she was struck by the city track.
“It’s really cool to be able to experience it for the first time. Having watched it on television so much, being able to see it in person was really surreal. It’s an amazing atmosphere and a really unique track, and to be in the middle of such a vibrant city was very cool,” Osborne added
“Obviously, I’d love to ride as many winners as possible, but I know how hard it is to ride winners here.
“I think every place you go, you learn different things, and it furthers your skills as a jockey. Being only 24 and this is my sixth year riding, you’re still trying to learn as much as possible. Hong Kong has such world-class jockeys, so you just pick things up off of them.”