Past and present will collide when jockey Rachel King teams up with young trainer Jack Bruce to partner his first Group One runner, Highgrove Rose, in the Queensland Oaks.
King is an integral part of the Bjorn Baker stable and rides predominantly for him in Sydney, while Bruce formerly worked as Baker’s racing manager before eventually taking out a training licence in his own right.
In a further twist, Baker’s bloodstock agent, Jim Clarke, was involved in the purchase of Highgrove Rose, and King admits Saturday’s Oaks (2200m) will be like getting the band back together.
“It’s Jack’s first Group One runner and he is pretty smart, he wouldn’t have aimed any up unless they could run well, so I’d say he has been waiting,” King said.
“The pressure is on because Jim Clarke bought it, Jack trains it, it’s like a family event.
“If she runs well, Bjorn will be quite proud of all his ‘kids’.”
Highgrove Rose is at double-figure odds, but she has been given a solid foundation for Saturday’s 2200m staying feature.
Spelled after finishing fourth to Matias in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) at Eagle Farm in December, she’s had four lead-up runs, including a 1900m victory on the Gold Coast Polytrack two starts ago, and a second against the older horses over 2200m at Doomben last time out.
King believes that experience at the distance is crucial for young stayers, especially fillies.
“It is a Group One, so it’s a big step up, but distance-wise, she has had a good grounding coming into the race,” King said.
“As much as making sure they’re going to stay, you want to make sure they’re going to relax.
“They’ve really got to know to put their head down, and do the right thing to be strong at the end of an Oaks.”
While King hasn’t been aboard Highgrove Rose in her recent runs, she partnered her in a brace of Listed two-year-old races during last year’s Brisbane winter carnival.
The filly didn’t feature in those, but King said she felt like a staying type then.
“She felt like that kind of horse twelve months ago, that she would get up over a trip, and she has done that,” she said.
“Jack looks like he’s done a super job aiming her towards this race.
“He hasn’t asked her too many big questions, apart from that one race (Grand Prix Stakes) where she stood up and ran really well.”
King’s Eagle Farm book also includes three rides for Baker, while she will again be aboard The Inflictor for Craig Cousins as that horse bids for a Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) berth.
The Inflictor is coming off a sixth in the BRC Sprint (1350m) and while a distance drop to 1200m for the Moreton Cup isn’t ideal, King says the gelding has the quality to run well.
“He’s a lovely horse who I’ve had a bit to do with,” King said.
“It’s a bit short of his best distance-wise, but I’m sure he has bounced out of that last run well, otherwise they wouldn’t be running him.
“If he has, and he’s back towards what he can do, he will be running a good race.”
