History-making British jockey Saffie Osborne will be the first of four international stars to arrive in Hong Kong this winter, with the Jockey Club granting visiting licences to the quartet.
The 24-year-old, who became the first female rider to win a British Classic when Highwayman took the St Leger at Doncaster this month, starts on November 8.
“It’s a real honour to have been invited, and I’m really looking forward to it,” Osborne said. “I’ve watched a huge amount of racing in Hong Kong. It’s something that, over here, we will follow very closely, and it’s somewhere I’ve always dreamed of being able to go and ride.”
“But obviously I would love to bang in a few winners,” she added. “I’m just really excited to experience the atmosphere.”
Osborne, daughter of trainer Jamie Osborne, has ridden 394 winners and captained Great Britain and Ireland to victory over Team Hong Kong at the Shergar Cup in August.
Four-time French champion Maxime Guyon returns on December 2 after riding 15 winners here last season. The three-time Hong Kong Vase winner, who has 58 Group 1s among almost 3,400 career wins, rides until February 8.
“If I can ride between 10 and 20 winners over the winter there, it’s really good,” Guyon said.
Irish champion Dylan Browne McMonagle, 23, is also back after landing 10 winners last season, and rides from January 6 to February 28.
Arc-winning Irishman Rossa Ryan, 26, arrives on December 2 and stays until February 28, missing the December 26 meeting.
“I’m kind of at that stage now where I like to hope I’m ready and I know how to hold my own. I’m ready for the next chapter, you could say,” Ryan said.
Osborne, Guyon and Ryan are eligible for December 9’s International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley. ∎
FACT BOX: Visiting jockeys
| Jockey | Country | Licensed |
| Saffie Osborne | Britain | Nov 8 – Dec 23, 2026 |
| Maxime Guyon | France | Dec 2, 2026 – Feb 8, 2027 |
| Rossa Ryan | Ireland | Dec 2, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027 (excl. Dec 26) |
| Dylan Browne McMonagle | Ireland | Jan 6 – Feb 28, 2027 |
