Maiden treble for apprentice Rachel King
Rachel King started June with her first Saturday metropolitan win at Rosehill and the celebrations have barely stopped for the in-form apprentice.
After promptly converting that breakthrough on Just Dreaming into a city double with Supply And Demand on June 3, King emulated that feat a week later at Randwick – the scene of her latest riding highlight on Saturday.
The understated King saluted three times, lifting her tally of winners in NSW this season to 81.
English-born King offered “luck” as the driver behind her run of form after Memes followed Lipizzan’s card-opening success on a heavy 8.
And once former New Zealand gelding Sound Proposition won on debut for new trainer Kris Lees, King was in the spotlight again, having had more time to consider the best run of her career.
“It’s huge. It probably hasn’t properly sunk in. You always want to be confident and feel like you’re going to ride a few winners so when it actually happens … I was confident I had some good rides today. It’s good when it comes off,” she said.
“It’s a bit of luck and confidence. I think it definitely rubs off on horses when you’re confident.
“I’ve just been very lucky. I’ve been able to ride for very good trainers and ride some nice horses.”
King is attached to the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott training partnership and has ridden in Sydney for five successive weekends.
Lipizzan, one of 10 two-year-old winners trained by Gary Portelli this season, got the 26-year-old’s day rolling when the filly scored a two-year-old plate by 2-3/4 lengths.
She went back-to-back when the Jason Coyle-trained filly Memes won for the fourth time in five races this preparation, claiming a three-year-old benchmark as the $3 favourite by 1-1/2 lengths.
Former New Zealand gelding Sound Proposition ($6.50) completed the treble when he made an impressive debut for new trainer Kris Lees by taking the Racing To Win Handicap (1600m) by 2-1/4 lengths.
While King left Randwick happy, her partner Blake Spriggs had a frustrating end to the meeting after Esgrimidor left him in the barriers.