Australia-based jockey Rachel King will return to Happy Valley Racecourse on 9 December with another opportunity to make her mark in the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC), where she will take on some of the leading riders in world racing.
King will line up against an elite international field that includes fellow Sydney-based jockey James McDonald, British stars Ryan Moore and William Buick, French rider Mickael Barzalona and Hong Kong’s nine-time champion Zac Purton. The four-race competition will bring together 12 accomplished jockeys for an evening of international racing at Happy Valley.
The invitation comes at an important stage of King’s career. She recently secured her 10th Group 1 success when star three-year-old colt Warwoven captured a top-level contest in October. She also partnered So You Are to victory in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup over 2400 metres, earning the opportunity to ride the five-year-old gelding in the historic Group 1 Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres. So You Are’s four-race winning sequence ended with a determined eighth-place finish in the Flemington feature.
King has been part of the International Jockeys’ Championship since 2023, making an immediate impression on debut with victory aboard David Hall-trained Oversubscribed. Since then, she has remained a competitive presence against some of the finest riders from Hong Kong and around the world.
Rachel King Returns to the International Jockeys’ Championship
The championship follows a distinctive format, with rides allocated through a system designed to create an even contest among the 12 participating jockeys. Four races determine the outcome, with points awarded according to the first three finishing positions. The rider accumulating the highest points total will be crowned the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship winner.
For King, the appeal extends beyond the quality of the opposition. She is particularly drawn to the atmosphere and character of Happy Valley, where racing under the evening sky creates an experience unlike most other international venues.
King described the racecourse as unique, comparing its atmosphere and setting with the former Moonee Valley experience in Australia. She also believes the championship format adds another dimension, bringing several world-class jockeys together in one competition rather than facing them individually across different meetings.
The unpredictable nature of the event is another part of its attraction. With horses allocated to riders, starting positions and race circumstances can all influence the outcome. King acknowledged that luck will always play a part, but praised the organisers for their efforts to make the competition as balanced as possible.
Having ridden against many of the championship’s leading names on separate occasions, she welcomes the opportunity to compete against them all on the same evening.
Rachel King’s International Success Continues
Born in Britain, King has built an impressive international career, riding successfully in Australia, Japan and Saudi Arabia, as well as in her country of birth. Japan holds a special place in her record, where she became the first female jockey to win a flat Group 1 race.
Her achievements in Australia have also broken significant barriers. Earlier this year, she partnered Green Spaces to victory in the Group 1 Australian Derby over 2400 metres for leading Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker, becoming the first female jockey to win the prestigious contest.
King has developed a strong professional relationship with Baker, who has consistently valued her ability as a jockey rather than viewing her through the lens of gender.
For King, the focus has always remained on riding ability and opportunity. She believes female jockeys have demonstrated their talent for many years and that greater recognition across international racing is a natural progression.
She has also welcomed the growing acceptance of female riders across different racing jurisdictions, noting that opportunities in other parts of the world are increasingly reflecting the progress already made in Australia.
Having settled in Sydney after arriving on a working holiday in 2014, King has since established herself among Australia’s leading jockeys. Her achievements across major races and international competitions have strengthened her reputation as a rider capable of competing at the highest level.
Returning to Hong Kong for the 2026 International Jockeys’ Championship will provide another opportunity to showcase that ability on an international stage. King considers the invitation an honour, although she would be delighted to add another championship success to her growing list of achievements.
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