A defining moment for Rachel King aboard Ozzmosis

Her Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes win, aboard Ozzmosis on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, was a defining moment in her career and she became the first female rider to win the historic Group 1 race. King describes the race as being a victory not just for her, but for the entire team at Bjorn Baker Racing, a testament to their collective dedication and belief in the young horse.  

King’s passion for racing was ignited at a young age, growing up around horses and riding track work for her father, a jumps jockey and trainer, from the age of ten.  

King’s early days in Australia involved apprenticeships with trainers Bart and James Cummings and then Gai Waterhouse, which shaped her understanding of pace, horse judgment, and riding styles.  

She rode in the Lexus Melbourne Cup, a race she grew up watching, for the first time in 2021. Riding in the Melbourne Cup during the COVID-affected year offered a stark contrast to the full-capacity crowds she experienced in subsequent years.  

“It was like having two completely separate experiences,” she recalls.

As the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival approaches, King carries the momentum of her Coolmore Stud Stakes victory. She’s constantly on the lookout for potential Cup contenders, both in Australia and overseas, eager to secure a ride that could lead her to the ultimate prize.