Everest Carnival 2020: Rachel King makes history as first female jockey
Rachel King will gallop her way into the history books next Saturday as the first female jockey to ride in the $15 million Everest at Randwick. But she has a few tricks to bring good luck.
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Jockeys Rachel King and Blake Spriggs have two pre-racing superstitions.
“Every time one of us goes to the races or we’re both going and we go into our separate rooms, we always say ‘ride us a winner’,” Spriggs said of the couple’s ritual.
“The other one is whenever I cook a steak Diane the night before, she rides a winner.”
The engaged sweethearts will follow the good luck formula when King becomes the first female jockey to compete in the world’s richest horse race on turf — the $15 million Everest at Randwick.
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“I believe that if you’re good enough, you’ll get there whether you’re male or female, but there is definitely something special about being the first girl,” King said.
“I’m quite proud my name will be there first before anyone else’s.”
A horse lover from a young age, King moved from England to Australia more than six years ago, working as an apprentice for trainer Gai Waterhouse.
The 30-year-old will ride Eduardo at The Everest next Saturday, and the self-described “laid-back” jockey said she was thrilled when the sprinter’s trainer Joseph Pride phoned her with the news.
“It’s probably the most excited I’ve been when I found out that I was riding a certain horse in a certain race,” she said.
A “proud” Mr Spriggs, who lives with Ms King in Sydney with their dogs Amber and Aria, said: “It was such a special moment — not only to get a ride in the race but also to be the first female.
“She’ll always be able to tell our children — eventually — and their children as well.
“For as long as I’ve known her, she’s had that ambition to be the best that she can be and to be able to see her achieving that goal is something that not only inspires me, but it’s just something to be very proud of.”
The couple, who were forced to postpone their July wedding in the UK after the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, will be together at Randwick on Everest Day with Mr Spriggs riding in The Spring Mile.