Globetrotting jockey Rachel King eyes more Group 1s back home in Sydney

Rachel King, the trailblazing jockey who rode a historic Group 1 winner in Japan last weekend, will return home for the Sydney autumn carnival on Monday.

Rachel King, the globetrotting, trailblazing jockey who rode a historic Group 1 winner in Japan last weekend, will return home for the Sydney autumn carnival on Monday.

King confirmed she would complete her latest successful two-month Japanese stint after riding at a double-header this weekend at Hanshin (Saturday) and Nakayama (Sunday).

“I’ve still got a month to go on my contract and I can return to Japan at any time through the year,’’ King revealed.

“I’m not sure when I will return but for now, I’m just looking forward to coming home and getting things going ahead for the autumn carnival.’’

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King will return to Sydney on Monday and is hoping to hit the ground running with rides at Warwick Farm next Wednesday ahead of the Group 1 Randwick Guineas meeting at Royal Randwick on March 8.

Her early rides for next week’s Randwick meeting include Way To The Stars in the Group 2 $500,000 Challenge Stakes and possibly Spring Lee in the Group 3 $2150,000 Wenona Girl Quality.

King has ridden 12 winners during her Japanese stay with four at stakes level including her famous Group 1 win on Costa Nova in the February Stakes in Tokyo last Sunday when she became the first female jockey to ride a major race winner in Japan.

It's official!

Rachel King has become the first female to win a Group 1 flat race on the JRA circuit in 🇯🇵 after guiding Costa Nova to victory in the February Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. ⭐@RachelK11@HorseRacing_JPN 📹pic.twitter.com/Zj2XfgKIXh

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 23, 2025

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“It was the first Group 1 race of the year in Japan so it is always a big occasion,’’ King said.

“Obviously, I am the first female to ride a Group 1 winner here and for Northern Farm, it was a really good result as they don’t have many Group 1 winners on the dirt.’’

King’s win on Costa Nova in the February Stakes created plenty of headlines in Japan – but there was one significant problem for the jockey.

“I can’t read Japanese,’’ she said.

“I saw photos of myself in the papers and on the cover of a racing magazine so I will have to get my interpreter to translate the stories for me.’’

Rachel King and COSTA NOVA get the cover of @gallop_keiba this week 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/6UjyLylwit

— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) February 23, 2025

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King, who has ridden five Group 1 winners in Australia, has had a busy international schedule in recent months including riding in Saudi Arabia last Friday.

She then had to catch a 3am flight out of Riyadh to get back to Tokyo with just 15 minutes to spare before the midnight deadline to enter the jockeys security compound ahead of Sunday’s Group 1 meeting.

King also rode at Royal Ascot, England’s Shergar Cup and the US Breeders Cup at Del Mar last year.