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King, Baker chasing Sunshine Coast feature double

Jockey Rachel King and trainer Bjorn Baker will team up in two of the main races at Caloundra.

WATEGOS.
WATEGOS. Picture: Michael McInally/Racing Queensland

It has been a momentous few weeks for Rachel King on a personal front, and the top jockey will be looking to parlay that into racetrack success with a strong book of rides at the Sunshine Coast.

King returned home to England last month to marry Luke Hilton, racing manager for trainer Bjorn Baker, and while there she fulfilled a childhood dream to ride at Royal Ascot.

After a brief honeymoon, she was back in the saddle with two mounts at Canterbury on Wednesday but will up the ante with a full book of nine rides in Queensland this weekend, including two feature race chances for the Baker stable.

One of those will be Wategos at 54.5kg in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m), and while the hoop isn't having any post-honeymoon weight battles, Baker says the same can't be said for her new husband.

"I think Luke put on enough weight for all of us," Baker quipped.

Wategos has been in a purple patch of form since his arrival in Queensland, posting a Doomben win in May and following it with a brace of black-type placings.

He is proven in heavy ground and that is shaping as a crucial statistic with the Caloundra track rated in the heavy range on Wednesday and further rain forecast.

"He's going well and he's pretty adaptable on all track conditions," Baker said.

"He's drawn the middle of the pack, eight of fifteen, so he'll be able to put himself in the first four to six and I think he's a big chance.

"He gets down in the weights, Rachel King rides. He's going to be very competitive."

King will also reunite with Alegron for Baker in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m).

Overseas for the horse's last-start Brisbane Cup success, King did land a Group 3 win aboard Alegron for his former trainer James Cummings and Baker predicted another bold showing from his recent stable recruit.

"Rachel goes on him, she has ridden him earlier in his career and she knows him well," Baker said

"He was very good in the Brisbane Cup, he's had three weeks between runs, he's dropping in trip and he seems to be thriving in Queensland.

"He's got a pretty good gate so we will put him where he's comfortable and I think he'll really appreciate the big Sunshine Coast track."

King's feature race book also includes promising three-year-old Know Thyself for Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich  in the Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m).


Racing and Sports

Sunshine Coast Saturday, 06th July 2024

6f211y TURF HEAVY 10
AUD $300,000

TAB GLASSHOUSE HANDICAP (LR)

AUD $300,000
Type: Qlty Fastest Time: 1:22.39 Kinloch 27 Jan 2024 Qlty SOT:G
6f211y TURF HEAVY 10
Tab
Form
Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
BP
Trainer
WT
1
24x74
THE INEVITABLE (AUS) 9yo G
DUNDEEL (NZ) - GIFT BOUQUET (AUS)
CRAIG NEWITT
3
JOHN KEYS
60.5kg

Sales Information

2
87092
ROCKETING BY (AUS) 7yo G
SO YOU THINK (NZ) - ACROSS THE MOON (AUS)
ROBBIE DOLAN
6
DAVID PFIEFFER
56.5kg

Sales Information

3
21301
AT WITZ END (AUS) 9yo G
EPAULETTE (AUS) - HERE'S THE END (AUS)
SAMANTHA COLLETT
11
DANIEL BOWEN
56kg
4
0x766
KALINO (AUS) 6yo G
PIERRO (AUS) - LANIKAI (AUS)
JAMES ORMAN
12
CHRIS WALLER
56kg

Sales Information

5
x4950
IRISH SONGS (AUS) 9yo G
SHAMUS AWARD (AUS) - LUCKY SONGS (NZ)
JAKE BAYLISS
10
LOUISE WHITE
55.5kg

Sales Information

6
45x51
EN FRANCAIS (AUS) 7yo M
PUISSANCE DE LUNE (IRE) - DETOX (AUS)
LACHLAN NEINDORF
9
DAVID VANDYKE
55kg

Sales Information

7
x0404
SINAWANN (IRE) 7yo G
KINGMAN (GB) - SIMAWA (IRE)
JIM BYRNE
2
TONY & MADDYSEN SEARS
54.5kg

Sales Information

8
57123
WATEGOS (AUS) 6yo G
CAPITALIST (AUS) - HAPPY HIPPY (AUS)
RACHEL KING
7
BJORN BAKER
54.5kg

Sales Information

9
33700
WHAT YOU NEED (AUS) 5yo H
SUPIDO (AUS) - INTUIT (AUS)
EMILY LANG
12
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
54kg

Sales Information

10
9592x
LAVISH EMPIRE (AUS) 5yo G
SPIETH (NZ) - KISSAME MUCHO (AUS)
KYLE WILSON-TAYLOR
6
PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN
54kg

Sales Information

11
44304
GREY RIVER (AUS) 5yo M
AL MAHER (AUS) - GREY CHEVAL (AUS)
MS NIKITA BERIMAN
1
JON O'CONNOR
53kg
12
07051
WILLINGA BEAST (AUS) 5yo M
SNITZEL (AUS) - TIME CHECK (USA)
RON STEWART
4
KRIS LEES
53kg

Sales Information

13
746x1
WOLLOMBI (AUS) 5yo M
EXTREME CHOICE (AUS) - HAZLEBROOK (AUS)
ANGELA JONES
8
TONY GOLLAN
53kg

Sales Information

14
x3136
MIDNIGHT IN TOKYO (AUS) 5yo M
KOBAYASHI (AUS) - ORABELLE (AUS)
DAMIEN THORNTON
13
ANNABEL NEASHAM
53kg

Sales Information

15
4x0x6
TIDAL CREEK (AUS) 6yo G
SNITZEL (AUS) - ONE FUNNY HONEY (USA)
CEJAY GRAHAM
5
STUART KENDRICK
53kg

Sales Information

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