Jockey Saffie Osborne chasing £2.4MILLION payday at racing’s biggest party with St Leger hero Highwayman

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TRAILBLAZING jockey Saffie Osborne is chasing a £2.4MILLION payday and more history with St Leger hero Highwayman – at racing’s biggest party.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained superstar – who, incredibly, was so bad as recently as June the handicapper refused to give him a rating – has rocketed up the ranks.

As has his jockey, who became the first woman to land the Doncaster feature and final Classic of the season last Saturday.

Now Highwayman looks like being one of TEN horses the son of legendary trainer Aidan could run in the ‘race that stops a nation’.

O’Brien has already scooped one of the biggest cheques in racing twice courtesy of Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020.

He has proven himself arguably the best trainer of stayers in the world – saddling Goodie Two Shoes to second last year – and is aiming an almighty squad at the Flemington race this year.

With O’Brien’s No1 jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle still on the sidelines after a horrible fall, it’s up in the air whether he will be back in time for the race on November 3.

Either way, Osborne is hoping to keep the ride on Highwayman, who is 8-1 favourite with William Hill.

Two women jockeys – Michelle Payne and Jamie Kah – have won the Melbourne Cup, but no female outside Australia has ever managed the feat.

Osborne, 24, told SEN’s Giddy Up With Gareth Hall: “Everyone wants to win a Melbourne Cup.

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“I was injured during the Melbourne Cup Carnival last year, and I was hobbling around on crutches next to my boyfriend Sam Cavanough.

“Melbourne Cup day was amazing to watch. I actually went to each of the four days at Flemington and it was amazing.

“They put on such a great show, and it was a brilliant atmosphere to be a part of.

“I’d quite like to have a ride in it this year.”

The weights are released on Thursday and Osborne knows she can do the light weight of 54.5kg Highwayman could be assigned.

Osborne, who is 16-1 to win SPOTY, added: “Come on, Racing Victoria, give him 54.5kg!

“I haven’t won a Melbourne Cup, so I don’t know what it takes to win one, but for him to win a British Classic shows he’s obviously a pretty good horse.

“He’s a very unexposed horse and all he’s done is improve through his career.

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Tuesday 15 September

Genoa