Much-travelled Australian-based jockey Rachel King will add Hong Kong as another of her racing destinations for 2024 when she returns to Happy Valley on Wednesday, December 4 for the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC).
After already riding in England, Japan, the United States of America and Australia this year, King is hoping to improve on last year’s Hong Kong performance when she finished third in the LONGINES IJC after riding Oversubscribed to victory in the first of the four-race competition.
Always open for a challenge against the world’s best jockeys, King said she was looking forward to competing against the likes of top internationals including Ryan Moore (Great Britain), William Buick (Great Britain), Colin Keane (Ireland), Mickael Barzalona (France), Yuga Kawada (Japan) and James McDonald (New Zealand).
Leading British rider Hollie Doyle will join King as the other female in the championship.
Top local riders, including Zac Purton and last year’s IJC winner Vincent Ho, will again represent Hong Kong, China.
King said she was hoping to improve on last year’s third.
“It was good, I guess, to get that winner straight away and it was probably a big positive,” she said. “It was a good fun experience but also a good learning experience and I’m pleased to be going back again.
“You look at the list of jockeys who are going and they are sort of from all around the world and all are very competitive, so it’s a tough competition but I’m pleased to be part of it.”
Riding in so many countries this year, the 34-year-old said she had been busy by competing in so many different regions but said riding abroad can only improve her riding.
“And I’ve enjoyed the travelling,” King said. “I started off at Japan at the start of the year, then the UK twice, then the Breeders’ Cup in America.
“Going to different tracks and having to adapt and ride at different places always helps to further yourself.”
And along the way she achieved some memorable achievements.
She became the first Australian-based jockey to ride in the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in America, where she rode Japan’s Satono Carnaval for trainer Noriyuki Hori.
She was also the first foreign female to win a Group race on the flat in Japan during her stint there earlier this year when she rode Chuck Nate to victory in the Group 2 American Jockey Club Cup (2200m).
“Japan was super,” King said. “It was certainly challenging. I had great support from Noriyuki Hori while I was there and he was super and threw everything at me.
“We got some good winners together.”
And after riding in the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, King returned to Australian to ride The Map in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) earlier this month.
“It was a busy few days getting back from America for the Melbourne Cup and I suppose both results could have been a little bit better,” she said.
“But both were good experiences and I always enjoy going down for the Cup and it’s always one that I don’t want to miss.”
The British-born King, who began her riding career in England but was later apprenticed to Australia’s ‘First Lady of Racing’ Gai Waterhouse in Sydney, also got married to partner Luke Hilton on her first trip back to England in June, where she rode Strutting to second in the Sandringham Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot.
Now on her second trip to Hong Kong, King is hoping to pick up a few more rides at Happy Valley and would stay on for the Sunday, December 8 Hong Kong International Races if she was offered a suitable ride.
King will return to Japan next January for another two-month riding stint and has gained a solid following after riding 16 winners and 29 minor places there earlier this year in her 139 rides.
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