Saffie Osborne ended last year's campaign with a superb treble to snatch the Racing League top jockey and started this year's with another trio of victories; Chinese Knot, Stone Circle and Alnilam gave Wales & The West the perfect start in Yarmouth
Thursday 27 July 2023 20:55, UK
Defending champion Saffie Osborne kick-started her Racing League campaign with a treble on the opening night for Wales & The West.
In a superb night at Yarmouth for father and daughter, Saffie secured victories on Chinese Knot, Stone Circle and Alnilam for Wales & The West team manager Jamie, leaving them top of the standings on a competitive card.
Last year, Saffie pulled off a stunning 6500/1 treble at Newcastle on the final night to snatch Racing League leading jockey and a £20,000 bonus, edging out Sean Levey in the process.
This year, Osborne got her night and 2023 campaign off to the perfect start, winning the opener on Chinese Knot for Wales & The West and Rod Millman.
Travelling strongly into proceedings, Osborne and Chinese Knot saw off the late charge of Midnight Lir and Connor Beasley for The North to win by a neck at the line.
In Race Five, Osborne again took the spoils, this time by just a head under Stone Circle for the Michael Bell team.
It was a patient ride on this occasion, sweeping down the far side rail in the closing 100 yards and getting up right on the line, getting the better of Desperate Hero and Kieran Shoemark for London & The South.
And in the following race, it was another Osborne masterclass, guiding Alnilam this time down the stands rail and getting up close home to defeat Wales & The West team-mate Haliphon.
Winning team manager Jamie Osborne told Sky Sports Racing: "We've started the way we finished last year. We've more runners than anyone else, we've 13 runners tonight, sadly not quite the full team.
"But I've got a great team of trainers and unlike some, mine are right behind this and behind their leader."
Frankie Dettori got on the scoresheet in the final race of the night, bagging the feature £100,000 handicap on Cumulonimbus for The East and trainer Charlie Fellowes.
He was allowed a soft lead, and with team-mate Eagle's Way upsides throughout, Dettori and Cumulonimbus had enough to hold off the late charges and take a crucial success.
As expected, it's Wales & The West who romped into an early lead with four victories on the night, racking up a total of 164 points in the process.
In second is The East with 153 points after that final race one-two, while it was a solid night for London & The South back in third with 107 points.
After that stunning treble, Saffie Osborne moved into a healthy lead at the top of the jockey standings on 75 points, with Kieran Shoemark back in second on 60 points.
