With the World Cup underway, last week marked a quieter period on the racing front – the calm before the storm that is Royal Ascot. For Group 1 action, we needed to turn our attention to France for the Prix de Diane on Sunday afternoon; a different country, but a familiar result, as Aidan O’Brien added yet another Classic to his CV.
Closer to home, 45-year-old jockey Silvestre De Sousa registered a landmark success at Yarmouth, and Group 1-winning trainer Jamie Osborne found himself in hot water with the BHA.
De Sousa Enters 2,000 Wins Club
Thursday afternoon’s card from the seaside track of Yarmouth had little to stand out from the midweek crowd in terms of quality. However, for Brazilian-born jockey Silvestre De Sousa, this fixture on the East Coast provided the stage for another landmark moment in an outstanding career.
Arriving at Yarmouth with 1,999 wins in Britain, De Sousa had a ride in five of the seven contests as he sought to reach a magnificent 2,000. His first mount, Red Legs, ran as her 150/1 odds suggested she might. However, De Sousa made no mistake with his second ride, when partnering Neyva’s Angel to success in the Winning Experience With Moulton Racing Handicap. Taking the bull by the horns, De Sousa kicked the daughter of Harry Angel straight into the lead and comfortably made all the running for success by a margin of four and a half lengths.
2⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ British winners for @SilvDSousa! 👏
Neyva’s Angel hacks up under the three-time champion jockey at @GTYarmouthRaces, bringing up a milestone success for the rider… pic.twitter.com/QOYbJ29Fp8
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 11, 2026
In reaching this milestone, De Sousa joins Joe Fanning, Ryan Moore, Luke Morris, Jamie Spencer, Jim Crowley, and William Buick as the only active riders with 2,000 or more British flat wins. Highlights on his CV included eight British Group 1s, headlined by a sole Classic victory aboard Elmalka in the 2024 edition of the 1,000 Guineas. Now riding freelance, De Sousa previously enjoyed spells with Godolphin and Roger Varian, and was crowned British Champion jockey in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
Reflecting on this achievement, which came over 20 years after riding his first winner at Southwell on New Year’s Day in 2006, the popular rider stated:
“I was just a boy from Brazil, and to have this many winners in Britain is just a dream come true. England is my home now, and to do this here is so amazing.”
Necklace Sparkles at Chantilly
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Diamond Necklace | 1/2F | A P O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
| 2nd | Pink Panthera | 34/1 | P Cottier | Tony Piccone |
| 3rd | Inis Mor | 22/1 | David Menuisier | Oisin Murphy |
The latest stop on the 2026 Classic tour came at Chantilly on Sunday afternoon, as the British and Irish fillies tackled the home hopes in the Prix de Diane Longines. Despite the 1m2½f trip being a furlong and a half short of the Epsom event, this Group 1 affair is commonly referred to as the French Oaks.
In a field dominated by overseas challengers – seven of the 11 fillies hailed from a British or Irish yard – Aidan O’Brien appeared to hold the ace in the pack. Unbeaten in four career outings, including the Longchamp Group 1 duo of the Prix Marcel Boussac and Poule d’Essai Des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas), Diamond Necklace started as the 1/2 favourite. The standout contender on form, the big question was whether she would handle this trip, having previously raced over no further than a mile.
With stablemate Moments Of Joy employed as a pacemaker, it appeared that the Ballydoyle team had few concerns in the stamina department. The decision to set a strong pace presented a new test for Diamond Necklace, but she passed it with flying colours. Held onto in midfield by Ryan Moore, she had ground to make up at the two-furlong pole but delivered an excellent turn of foot to reel in the leaders. Outsider Pink Panthera attempted to go with her and briefly led, but Diamond Necklace pulled out more to score by a short neck.
Now five from five, Diamond Necklace joins Allez France, Divine Proportions, Zarkava, and Blue Rose Cien on the exclusive list of fillies to have won the Prix Marcel Boussac, Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, and Prix de Diane.
Aidan O’Brien’s second Prix de Diane continued his stellar start to 2026. Of the ten British, Irish, or French Classics held so far, seven have been won by O’Brien.
Great Bums Land Osborne in Hot Water
One of the week’s more unpredictable racing stories surrounded Lambourn trainer Jamie Osborne. The father of leading female jockey Saffie Osborne and trainer of Group 1 winner Milk It Mick found himself in hot water following his photographic activity.
The subject of Jamie’s mobile phone camerawork was the backside of an unnamed lady at an unnamed British racecourse last summer. Caught whilst taking the photo, Osborne initially denied he had done so, before apologising and permanently deleting the photo. Despite this apology, Osborne was reported to the racecourse stewards on the day, triggering an investigation and disciplinary proceedings.
In an interview with the BHA, conducted three weeks after the incident, the 58-year-old trainer declared that he had taken the snap with the intention of uploading it to a WhatsApp group named “Great Bums”. Expanding on this explanation, Osborne stated that given the name of the group, it was “obvious” that this was not the first time he had taken such a photograph.
The investigation reached its conclusion at a private disciplinary hearing to review a plea agreement between Osborne and the BHA. In announcing the outcome of this review, the disciplinary panel agreed that “the taking of the photograph was unwanted conduct which was sexual in nature, and which had the effect of violating the dignity of Person A.”
The BHA handed Osborne a three-month suspended training ban, which will be activated if he breaches racing’s code of conduct within six months of the ruling. In addition, the embarrassed trainer must undergo anti-sexual harassment training, anti-misogyny training, and make a £3,000 donation to a racing charity.
Reacting to the verdict, Osborne stated:
“I completely accept the BHA judgement, and I would like to repeat my heartfelt and genuine apology for my actions.”
The “Great Bums” WhatsApp group has now been disbanded.
