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Rachel King rode herself into the history books last year when she became the first female to win the Carlton Wyong Gold Cup.
The victory on Paths Of Glory completed a super day for King, who had claimed the feature double, with Asiago in the Mona Lisa.
The English import is determined to emulate last year’s clean sweep and believes she is on the horses to do it.
King is coming off a career best season in 20/21, finishing third in the Metropolitan Jockey’s Premiership with 113 winners.
“Winning the Cup and Mona Lisa at Wyong was the start of what ended up being a great season for me and I’d love to do it again,” she said.
“It is always good to be riding in these feature races and to win them both last year was fantastic.
“Naturally it would be great to have that same success this year and I think I’ve got two good chances.”
King partners Spencer, from the in-form Bjorn Baker stable, in the Cup and La Lude for John Thompson in the Mona Lisa.
She has ridden Spencer previously and is confident the seven-year-old is coming into the Cup in top condition.
The Pierro gelding is coming off a fourth over 2400m at Randwick on August 7 and was a winner at Rosehill over the same distance on July 3.
He was sixth in last year’s Wyong Cup, finishing less than three lengths behind the winner.
“He’s been racing pretty consistently this preparation and wasn’t too far off the winner in the same race last year,” King said.
“His last start finishing fourth behind Harpo Marx was over the 2400m, so he will be really fit going into this.
“All Bjorn’s horses are in good form so he should be right in it.”
King has a similar opinion of La Lude in the Mona Lisa, the six-year-old mare resumed in the Group 3 Show County on August 21.
“I’ve ridden her quite a lot and I really like her.
“She’s second up on Friday. First up she wasn’t quite ready for a high-pressure Group race.
“I had to ride her a little bit forward because we drew awkwardly, which isn’t really her go and she just got tired late. Hopefully she will take a lot of improvement out of it.
“She’s the type of mare who was knocking on the door for a black type race all last prep. She was running really good races in Group 3, so hopefully she can make that next step into Group company.”
The $200,000 Listed Wyong Gold Cup has attracted a full field of 16 with two locals Onemore Sapphire from the Bartley stable and Brett Partelle’s Commander Bell the emergencies.
The Damien Lane trained Oakfield Missile is in the field but unlikely to start after drawing wide in 17.
Chris Waller, chasing his eighth Cup victory since 2010, has a strong line up of four runners Dashing Willoughby, Mohican Heights, Criminal Code and Mubariz.
The $140,000 Listed Mona Lisa sees a classy lot of 15 fillies and mares. Kim Waugh’s Great News, one of the favoured runners, will have to overcome a wide barrier to claim a hometown feature.
The first of eight races gets underway at 12.50pm:
SELECTIONS:
Race 1 – 12.50pm: PRIORITY BUSINESS LAWYERS 4YO&UP MAIDEN (1350m): 1DIFFERENT STROKES, 2 Stay Wealthy, 3 Beholder, 4 Silver Scissors.
Race 2 – 1.25pm: WINNING COMMERCIAL MAIDEN (1200m): 1 AMATHUBA, 2 Flying Squad, 3 Invincible Vision, 4 Exmouth Gulf.
Race 3 – 2.05pm: CENTRAL COAST COOLROOMS DA VINCI – 3&4YO BM64 (1300m): 1 BOJACK, 2 The Mistral, 3 Van Gogh, 4 Akihiro.
Race 4 – 2.40pm: BISHOP COLLINS BM64 (1600m): 1 JEANNE D’ARC, 2 Socrates, 3 Akahata, 4 Nishikori.
Race 5 – 3.20pm: HUNTER PETROLEUM PRODUCTS CLASS 1 (1100m): 1 FUMIKO, 2 Echo Point, 3 Torun, 4 Bullet Rider.
Race 6 – 3.55pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP MONA LISA STAKES (1350m): 1 STARLA, 2 Bring The Ransom, 3 Charleise, 4 Zorocat.
Race 7 – 4.35pm: 2021 CARLTON WYONG GOLD CUP (2100m); 1TAIKOMOCHI, 2 Laure Me In, 3 Mubariz, 4 Perfect Radiance.
Race 8 – 5.10pm: THE DOYLO SPRINGTIME CONDITIONAL BM68 (1100m): 1 PEARL ROAN, 2 Mr Polar, 3 The Drake, 4 Eyewitness.
