Rachel King returns to Japan

Rachel King certainly doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet.

From the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast on Saturday, her next stop is Japan where she will spend the next month continuing to refine her riding skills as she has done to such good advantage in previous visits to the Land of the Rising Sun. At the same time, she will be lifting her personal profile on the international stage … two positives that have an invaluable, positive influence on her career.

The accomplished rider has already achieved so much in recent times.

In January 2024, King became the first female rider to win a Japanese Racing Association (JRA) Group 2 race when taking out the American Jockey Club Cup aboard Chuck Nate at Nakayama.

In February 2025, King stepped things up another notch to become the first female rider to win a JRA Group 1 when saluting in the Group 1 February Stakes aboard Costa Nova at Tokyo.

Earlier in 2025, King won the final leg of the International Jockey Challenge in Riyadh over the Saudi Cup weekend. She finished second in that International Jockey Challenge.

King also represented Australia in the last three LONGINES International Jockey’s Championship in Hong Kong where the world’s top jockey’s line up for the very prestigious event.

To get the invite to go to Hong Kong … to get invited to Riyadh … to be regularly granted a riding licence by the JRA … these are hard-earned privileges which can only come with a proven track record … the sort of record that can only be achieved by professionalism, hard work and a focussed commitment to improve riding skills, a description that personifies King’s character.

Born in the UK but plying her trade in this country since 2014 … it is fair to say, Rachel King is doing Australia proud.

She will return to Australia in time for the Autumn Carnival in Sydney.