Jockey Rachel King to ride at the US Breeders’ Cup meeting before riding The Map in the Melbourne Cup

Jockey Rachel King will embark on a history making trip to the US this weekend before returning home to ride The Map in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

SYDNEY jockey Rachel King is getting plenty of international media exposure on the eve of her historic ride on Japan’s Satono Carnaval at the prestigious US Breeders’ Cup meeting.

Unbeaten Satono Carnaval is contesting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf race, run at San Diego’s famous Del Mar racecourse on Saturday at 11.25am (AEDT).

King has been interviewed by journalists from around the world in the build-up to the two-day Del Mar meeting, which is billed as the “World Thoroughbred Championships.”

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“I guess being from England and now an Australian resident riding a Japanese horse in America is attracting a bit of attention,’’ King said.

“The experience has been quite surreal. You can tell it is a worldwide event, there are Breeders’ Cup signs everywhere in Del Mar.

“Just being here and seeing all the famous European and American trainers, it is pretty special to be part of the week.’’

Rachel King will pilot Japanese horse Satono Carnaval in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar this weekend

King is vying to become only the third female jockey to win a Breeders Cup race after Julie Krone and Rosie Napravnik.

Satono Carnaval has won both his races in Japan and King has been impressed by the colt at trackwork this week.

“When I was riding in Japan earlier this year, he had not started his race career,’’ King said.

“But the stable has given me a full run down on the horse and he’s obviously got ability. He’s unbeaten and has won a Group race.’’

King, winner of five Group 1 races in Australia, has been something of an international trailblazer this year.

She spent January and February riding in Japan for Noriyuki Hori, the trainer of Satono Carnaval, and became the first female jockey to ride a Group race winner in that country.

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King then went back to England where she got married in June, rode a second placegetter at Royal Ascot before winning a Shergar Cup race in early August.

She hasn’t finished her travelling just yet, either. After riding at Del Mar, she catches a return flight to Australia on Saturday, arriving in Melbourne on Monday to prepare for her ride on The Map in the Melbourne Cup the next day.

Rachel King will ride The Map in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“I thought I would eliminate any risk of going via Sydney,’’ King said. “I’m due to arrive in Melbourne on Monday and that gives me a chance to rest before the Melbourne Cup.’’

The Map, a six-year-old mare trained by Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray out of Murray Bridge, is equal top qualifier for the Melbourne Cup after winning the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington earlier this year.

“I’m really excited to be riding The Map in the Melbourne Cup,’’ King said. “The mare has good form at Flemington, she is a proven two-miler so she ticks some boxes.’’