'I was 100-1 to win' - Saffie Osborne crowned leading rider after 6,539-1 treble

Thursday: Newcastle

Saffie Osborne dramatically beat Sean Levey to the £20,000 leading jockey award for the 2022 Racing League when landing a remarkable 6,539-1 treble on the series' final round at Newcastle.

Osborne's rapid trio of winners began when Tregony struck for the third time in the Racing League this year in the 1m2f handicap, before veteran Raising Sand caused a 40-1 shock in the mile handicap.

Her winning spree was capped with a 28-1 success on the Rod Millman-trained Billy Mill and saw her leapfrog Levey, who was stood down by the BHA due to medical reasons, as leading rider.

The 3lb claimer was riding for the Wales and the West, which is managed by her father and trainer Jamie, who were also crowned the winning team of the series.

Speaking to ITV Racing after Billy Mill's victory, she said: "I think I was 100-1 to win this at the start. Dad said to me on the way here if I had two winners I might win, but I told him there was no chance of that! I'm a bit shocked.

"Sometimes you get a bit of luck like this. I'd never even ridden a treble before so to get a £20,000 bonus on top of it is quite nice."

Saffie Osborne with Raising Sand following his popular successCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Osborne was left in tears of joy after her father's popular stable star Raising Sand's surprise win, which was his first success since July 2019.

"I feel really pathetic crying, but this horse just means so much to all of us. He was one of the first racehorses I sat on, he used to tank me up the gallops and that's what he pretty much did today," she added.

"To win on him is something special. The team and Dad have done an amazing job and he just absolutely loves the game. I can't explain how delighted I am to win on him. He's part of the family now."

Wales and the West's victory was wrapped up when Honky Tonk Man and Watchya finished second and fourth in the penultimate 6f handicap, and they eventually finished on 785 points at the top.

Winning team captain Jamie Osborne said: "It's been about seven weeks of trainers – the ultimate selfish animals – coming together as a team to try and beat Matt Chapman [London and the South team manager]. We've done it!

"It's great it went down to the final night and could've gone either way. We saved our best cards to play on the last night.

"Thank you to my trainers and the owners involved, it's unbelievable how good the prize-money has been and how good we have felt with the team spirit for everyone."

Racing League 2022 team standings

Wales and the West785 points
London and the South 693
The East651
The North573½
Scotland488½
Yorkshire409
Ireland283

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