“British Classic” is trending because Saffie Osborne has become the first female jockey to win a British Classic Flat race, riding Highwayman to victory in the St Leger at Doncaster. Her win in the 250th Betfred St Leger is being reported as a historic first, with coverage focusing on the milestone for a female jockey as well as the race result.
The phrase refers here to the category of race Osborne won, rather than to a separate event called the British Classic. The St Leger victory is the shared focus of the coverage: Osborne was the jockey, Highwayman was the winning horse, and Doncaster was the venue. Both reports highlight her status as the first woman to achieve a British Classic victory, making that breakthrough the central reason the term is attracting attention.
