Racing: King seeks grand slam with ride in Slipper

Already one of Australia's most successful jockeys, Steven King heads to Rosehill tomorrow on the threshold of greatness.

If Rostova wins the Golden Slipper - and King is confident she can - the 39-year-old will join an elite group of riders to claim racing's grand slam.

Only six others - Neville Sellwood, Roy Higgins, Pat Hyland, Mick Dittman, Jim Cassidy and Damien Oliver - have won the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper.

King won the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double on Let's Elope in 1991 and the 2003 Cox Plate on Fields of Omagh and would like nothing more than to complete the set.

"It's something every jockey wants to do and few have," he said last night.

"It is certainly something I have always wanted to do and Rostova is my best chance for sure.

"This filly is still on the way up."

King ride Hurricane Sky when he ran fifth to Danzero in 1994 after winning the Blue Diamond, while the only blot on Rostova's record was the Blue Diamond.

King and trainer Steve Richards believe she choked down after getting her tongue over the bit and a gear adjustment was made.

The filly came out at her next start wearing a tongue tie and duly won the group two VRC Sires' Produce Stakes.

Rostova was not among original nominations for the Slipper but her Sires' Produce win convinced her owners to pay a $150,000 late entry fee.

Since being confirmed as a starter, Rostova has been steady on the third line of betting with most agencies behind Real Saga and More Joyous.

Two years ago, King spent five months on the sidelines with a broken leg but said he never considered turning to another profession.

"It was the first decent break of my career," he said.

"I didn't think of giving it up but I did reassess things and now I target the horse I want to ride and the big-money races.

"Unless you are riding for a big stable things like premierships are not going to happen, so finding the right horse is what I have to do."

Rostova won her first three starts before faltering in the Blue Diamond and has sparkled in training gallops this week.

"Her first wins were soft wins, all very easy," King said.

Rostova has adapted to the right-handed Sydney way of racing well and ran second in a trial to Slipper rival Reward For effort last Friday.

"She seems focused," said King. Just like her jockey.

POWER OF ONE
* Barrier one is the most successful in the Slipper's 50-year history with seven wins.
* Steven King will become just the seventh jockey to win the Grand Slam of the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper if Rostova wins on Saturday.

- AAP