Rachel King made history in Japan on Sunday, becoming the first female jockey to ride a Grade 1 winner in the country.
She achieved the milestone aboard Costa Nova in the Grade 1 February Stakes (1600m) at Tokyo.
Costa Nova entered the Grade 1 race following a victory in Grade 3 company earlier this month. The Tetsuya Kimura-trained five-year-old surged to the front with 200 metres remaining and held off a late challenge from Sunrise Zipangu to win by three-quarters of a length.
The favourite with horse racing betting sites, Mikki Flight, finished another 1.25 lengths behind in third.
King, who is once again riding in Japan on a short-term license, reflected on the historic achievement, saying: “I’m very proud to be the first female jockey (to have won a Grade 1 title) but also proud that Japan has welcomed me as a jockey and not just a ‘female’ jockey, something that I’ve always strived to be.
“I’m one of everyone and we’re treated the same, so I’m always thankful to all the supporters for welcoming me like that.
“They’ve given me huge support last year and also this year, so it’s nice to be able to repay them with a Group 1 (win).”
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