Rachel King is aiming to build on the success of her Group 1-winning spell in Japan earlier this year with a high summer stint riding in the Japan Racing Association (JRA).
The JRA has accepted the Sydney-based English jockey’s licence application to compete across five weekends from July 19 to August 17. Her sponsoring trainer will be her previous backer, Noriyuki Hori.
“I’ve had incredible support each time I’ve been there,” King told Idol Horse. “It’ll be a little bit different because three of the five weekends I’ll be in Sapporo; I’m not sure yet about the other two weekends but one might be back down towards Tokyo. But it’ll be a mixture of different race tracks, which will be good; it’ll be good to learn and go to different places.
“I rode in Sapporo when I did the jockey challenge, but I haven’t been back since, so it’ll be a good experience to be based somewhere different this time and ride at those different tracks.”
King, 34, first rode in Japan at the JRA’s two-day World All Star Jockeys contest in Sapporo, on the northern island of Hokkaido, in 2023 when she impressed onlookers with one win from six rides. She returned in early 2024 for 16 wins including a Group 2 win on Chuck Nate and a Group 3 aboard Sakura Toujours.
Her latest licence early this year brought 13 wins, among them another Group 3 on Sakura Toujours and her first JRA Group 1 victory on Costa Nova in the February Stakes, after a dash back from the Middle East.
“It was a busy weekend because I’d ridden in Saudi Arabia on the Friday night,” King said. “I was able to get out of there quickly and get a flight back; I landed back in Tokyo and got into (lockdown) at 11:45pm: you’ve got to be back in (the mandatory pre-racing jockey lockdown hostel) by midnight, so I made it by 15 minutes. Timed to perfection.
“I was probably in the right place at the right time to get that ride,” she continued. “Christophe Lemaire had been riding the horse but he was away in Saudi riding on the Saturday, so it was a great opportunity for me to pick up the ride. I’m very thankful to the connections for letting me jump aboard and getting the job done for them.”
King is hopeful that having a Japanese Group 1 win under her belt will strengthen her position further.
“I hope maybe it will cement the owners and trainers over there wanting to use me and continuing that support,” she said. “I had plenty of winners the first stint, but to get that (Group 1) opportunity, it was the best I’d had in a good race there. To prove I could get the job done hopefully gives them confidence and gives me confidence that I can go there and compete and when I get the chance to ride the nicer horses, I can get it done and get the win for them.”
King is pleased with how her season has gone in Australia: she has 60 wins total and 24 wins in the hotly-contested Sydney metropolitan premiership; she won the G1 Sydney Cup in April on Arapaho, and has just had a fruitful trip up to Brisbane, winning a Listed contest at Eagle Farm.
“I got a Group 1 winner, and if I can get at least one Group 1 winner every season that keeps me happy,” she said. “I’m always trying to get more but I felt the quality of my rides was up again this season, which is something I aim for each year, to be riding in those better races consistently and riding for the bigger connections consistently.
“There’s always improvement to be made and I’m always looking to be better and do better and win more of those big races, but I’m pleased with how it’s gone and I’ve felt that I’ve ridden more consistently in those bigger races and got more big results.”
There are no Group 1 races scheduled in the JRA through July and August, but King is hoping to continue her progress in that sphere, and enjoy Japan while she’s at it.
“I look forward to a bit of everything, but the food especially,” she said. “I love the food over there and I’m one of those lucky jockeys that gets to experience all of the food because I can eat whatever I want.
“It’s a beautiful country with beautiful people,” she added. “I’ve felt very welcome every time I’ve been.” ∎
