Rachel King content with decision to bypass winning Stradbroke ride for recent wedding in England

Jockey Rachel King almost certainly would have ridden the Stradbroke Handicap winner, but she celebrated as hard as anyone from England where she was getting married.

Jockey Rachel King’s marriage to Luke Hilton. Picture - V & H Wedding Photography, Oxford.

Rachel King would almost certainly have been riding the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner if she wasn’t overseas getting married, but she cheered on young Zac Lloyd’s triumph on Stefi Magnetica as hard as anyone.

King has a strong association with Stradbroke winning trainer Bjorn Baker and two of the jockey’s five career Group 1 triumphs have come for Baker.

A noted lightweight rider, King almost certainly would have ridden the Stradbroke winning three-year-old filly but was in her former homeland England for her marriage to Baker’s racing manager Luke Hilton.

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As the Sydney jockey prepares to ride at Saturday’s Sunshine Coast meeting, including partnering Baker-trained horses in two of the three features, King said she was more than prepared to forgo a Group 1 winner for her special wedding day.

“It was a slightly different situation last year but last year I chose to come and ride in the Stradbroke on Hawaii Five Oh who was a massive chance,” King said.

“He ran third and Bjorn trained five winners in Sydney that day, it was just one of those things.

“I thought this year, I was like, the wedding is already planned and the Stradbroke is on every year and it will be on again.

“But I did think Stefi Magnetica was a massive chance.

“Luke and I got up and watched it and celebrated together.

“I love watching any of Bjorn’s horses win big races, whether I am on them or not, because it’s very much a team effort there.”

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Zac Lloyd breaks through for his maiden Group 1 aboard Stefi Magnetica in the Stradbroke Handicap for trainer Bjorn Baker. Picture: Grant Peters – Trackside Photography.

Baker also wasn’t there on Stradbroke day at Eagle Farm – instead heading to the UK to celebrate the wedding.

Although King almost certainly sacrificed a Stradbroke win, she was delighted to see apprentice Lloyd score his first Group 1.

“It was great to see someone like Zac have that opportunity, seeing someone young and coming through the grades win their first Group 1,” King said.

“I remember what it was like winning my first Group 1 and I would never begrudge anyone that feeling.”

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Soon after getting married, King rode at Royal Ascot and nearly pulled off a win before she headed to the Greek Islands for the couple’s honeymoon.

Returning to ride this week, she is looking forward to linking up with Baker-trained stayer Alegron in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m).

King had success on Alegron in the 2022 Kingston Town Stakes, when the galloper was trained by James Cummings under the Godolphin banner.

Rachel King. Picture: Getty Images.

Purchased by Baker for $40,000 in an online sale, Alegron scored the Group 2 Brisbane Cup over 3200m at his last start.

“He was a good horse when I rode him for Godolphin, I really thought he could be a Melbourne Cup horse at one stage,” King said.

“Luke and Bjorn picked him out online and they asked what I thought of him, so I was happy when they bought him and I’m very happy to get back on him again.”

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Alegron is an $8 chance in the Caloundra Cup.

King also has strong winning chances in the other features on the day when she rides $2.30 Winx Guineas favourite Know Thyself and Wategos ($6) for Baker in the Glasshouse Handicap.

Originally published as Rachel King content with decision to bypass winning Stradbroke ride for recent wedding in England