Search

show me:

Girl Power Just Fine by King

3 minute read

In an Australian first, two female jockeys have collected majors on the same afternoon at Randwick.

Jockey : RACHEL KING winning the JAMES SQUIRE METROPOLITAN at Randwick in Australia.
Jockey : RACHEL KING winning the JAMES SQUIRE METROPOLITAN at Randwick in Australia. Picture: Steve Hart

"Girls are taking over." 

That was the statement from Rachel King after she and Kathy O'Hara made history at Randwick on Saturday by becoming the first female jockeys to ride Group 1 winners on the same program in Australia. 

O'Hara got the ball rolling with victory aboard the Chris Waller -trained Rediener in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) before King followed suit with a hard-fought win on boom Tulloch Lodge stayer Just Fine in the Metropolitan (2400m). 

"It was very special, Kathy was the first person to come up next to me and give me a fist pump and I couldn't have been happier to see her win the Epsom," King said. 

"Kath has been someone I've looked up to from the minute I've been in Australia so to follow her today, she won her Group One first and I got to get mine next. 

"Girls are taking over." 

In an extraordinary two-horse war, Just Fine ranged up to leader Spirit Ridge at the top of the Randwick straight and the pair went stride for stride, neither wanting to give an inch. 

Just Fine ($1.75 fav) finally wore down Spirit Ridge ($41) in the final bounds to score by a head, the first two clearing out from the rest with Kalapour ($18) best of the chasers, another 4-1/4 lengths away third. 

In winning, Just Fine set a 2400m track record of 2:26.11, bettering the mark of 2:26.36 established by Spechenka in 2010 and dispelling any concerns over his ability to stay the distance. 

The triumph completed a heady afternoon for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott  who also produced the trifecta in the Group 3 Breeders' Plate (1000m), captured the Listed Dulcify Stakes (1600m) with Ganbare and the Group 1 Flight Stakes(1600m) with Tropical Storm

Just Fine is now unbeaten in three Australian starts and while he isn't nominated for the Caulfield Cup, he is entered for the Melbourne Cup and Bott says it will be hard to resist a Victorian campaign. 

"I think we might have to, it's hard to deny it after that," Bott said. 

"He just continues to improve and go the right way for us, and he opened up more options for him today staying that trip." 


Racing and Sports

Randwick

Saturday, 30th September 2023

9
16:45
(local)

JAMES SQUIRE METROPOLITAN (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 50.0kg Type: OPEN
AUD $755,000
2400m TURF GOOD
9
16:45
(local)
AUD $755,000
2400m GOOD

JAMES SQUIRE METROPOLITAN (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 50.0kg Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 14. JUST FINE (IRE) 5yo G
SEA THE STARS (IRE) - BINT ALMATAR (USA)
RACHEL KING
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$1.75
50kg
MyRacehorse No. 1 (Mgr: B K Willis), Australian Chinese Jockey Club Racing 7 (Mgr: D You), P L Ward, D R Fleming, Newfan Pty Ltd (Mgr: S Galluzzo), Mrs P S Hall, L M Nestadt, Dr F P Hume, T Danaher, B Danaher & R I Goldbloom

Sales Information

2nd 8. SPIRIT RIDGE (GB) 8yo G
NATHANIEL (IRE) - TATES CREEK (USA)
REGAN BAYLISS
ANNABEL NEASHAM
$41
52.5kg
S G Darby, G T L Bowman, B P Bradley, J A Forrest, B L Hogan, D Hoggett, J P Lamothe, D Nicholas, R W Polley, G D Prouten, S B Troughton, D Wilden Constantin, The Ridge Pastoral (Mgr: Mrs J Bowman) & Darby Racing Spirit Ridge (Mgr: S G Darby)

Sales Information

3rd 10. KALAPOUR (IRE) 6yo G
WAR COMMAND (USA) - KALADENA (IRE)
KERRIN MCEVOY
KRIS LEES
$18
52.5kg
L Petagna, MJM Racing, Gurners Bloodstock Co, J Singh, W Guest, M Clemenger, T Watson, D Redgrove, Mrs S Redgrove, T Johns, I Clifton, P Filipovic, Mrs J Guest, Mrs J Cross, Mrs N Malone, Mrs S Grayson & Tah Boys
4th 13. MILITARY MISSION (IRE) 5yo G
MASTERCRAFTSMAN (IRE) - ATLANTIC ISLE (GER)
ZAC LLOYD
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$21
51.5kg

Sales Information

5th 12. BENAUD (AUS) 5yo G
RELIABLE MAN (GB) - BAGGY GREEN (AUS)
JAMIE KAH
JOHN O'SHEA
$12
51.5kg

Sales Information

6th 3. CLEVELAND (IRE) 5yo H
CAMELOT (GB) - VENUS DE MILO (IRE)
DAMIEN OLIVER
KRIS LEES
$16
54.5kg
7th 5. BOIS D'ARGENT (GB) 6yo G
TORONADO (IRE) - MADONNA LILY (IRE)
DYLAN GIBBONS
ANNABEL NEASHAM
$31
53.5kg

Sales Information

8th 9. HO HO KHAN (NZ) 9yo H
MAKFI (GB) - CHINA CHOICE (AUS)
MS TAHLIA HOPE
MITCHELL FREEDMAN
$71
52.5kg

Sales Information

9th 18. WINEGLASS BAY (IRE) 4yo G
NEW BAY (GB) - LADY PENKO (FR)
KATHY O'HARA
CHRIS WALLER
$51
50kg

Sales Information

10th 15. AL AABIR (IRE) 4yo G
SEA THE STARS (IRE) - WO DE XIN (GB)
JAY FORD
CHRIS WALLER
$17
50kg

Sales Information

11th 11. TORRENS (AUS) 7yo H
ADELAIDE (IRE) - A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE (AUS)
JENNY DUGGAN
MARC CHEVALIER
$71
52kg
12th 7. MANZOICE (AUS) 4yo H
ALMANZOR (FR) - CHOICE (NZ)
MICHAEL DEE
CHRIS WALLER
$31
53kg

Sales Information

13th 2. NAVAJO PEAK (AUS) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - SHIP ROCK (AUS)
CHAD SCHOFIELD
DAVID PAYNE
$71
55.5kg
14th 4. MAJOR BEEL (NZ) 4yo G
SAVABEEL (AUS) - GRAM (NZ)
TIM CLARK
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$16
54.5kg

Sales Information

15th 17. MR WATERVILLE (IRE) 4yo G
CAMELOT (GB) - HOLY MOON (IRE)
TYLER SCHILLER
CHRIS WALLER
$12
50kg

Sales Information

What’s gambling really costing you?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au