Episode 362: John Hutchings

John Hutchings was one of the most gifted country jockeys of his generation. Between the mid 1960’s and mid 1990’s John rode 1470 winners and won nine jockey’s apprenticeships, three of them while still an apprentice. Now in retirement at Grafton, he was happy to reminisce on the podcast. John says he’s not much heavier than he was at the end of his riding career. He talks of his Grafton property and the lucerne crop he maintains to supply hay to local racing people. John looks back on his brilliant riding career and rues his long term use of fluid pills and hunger suppressants. The former champion jockey talks of his heart scare six years ago. John pays tribute to his wife Julie, one of few female board members on Australian racing clubs. He talks of the two sons who chose not to follow Dad into the racing industry. “Hutcho” talks of his jockey brother Warren. They were both apprenticed to the same Grafton trainer. John remembers two protest hearings in which they were involved. He pays tribute to his former master Ron Gosling, and recalls his very first win at Casino. The former outstanding jockey recalls his heavy trackwork schedule in the early days of his career. John pays tribute to the country jockey who most inspired him. Every northern rivers jockey dreams of success in the Ramornie Hcp and the Grafton Cup. John won both. He talks firstly of his 1983 Cup win on Ward’s Mistake, and a Coffs Harbour Cup win on the same horse two years later. He speaks with great fondness of the “bush marvel” Tiny’s Finito who won an astonishing 40 races. Hutchings rode him in 22 of those wins which included the Ramornie Hcp.  John says Tiny’s Finito had a few quirky habits. Sometimes his Glen Innes trainer couldn’t catch him in the paddock. Most people assume Tiny’s Finito was the best horse Hutchings ever rode. His answer will “knock your socks off”. He remembers Ted Russell, the popular racehorse owner who resurrected racing in Coffs Harbour after a long hiatus. John reflects on the glory days of the Grafton July carnival when huge crowds and huge betting made it Australia’s biggest country racing festival. He pays tribute to some handy bush horses he got to ride. John looks back on an invitation to contest a two race series for international jockeys in the Philippines in 1993. He’s got a couple of funny stories from a memorable trip. He rode for some talented country trainers during his long career. He singles one out for special mention. John hasn’t forgotten his very first ride at Randwick. He was in awe of the famous riders he saw in the Randwick jockeys room. One of those jockeys rode at Grafton later and tried to prevent young Hutchings from making a dangerous move in a race.  He recalls a couple of offers from Sydney trainers who were keen to get him to Sydney.  John recalls the many injuries he suffered in thirty years of race riding and looks back on one of the worst falls in racing history. He was involved in the carnage. He talks of his association with leading Grafton trainer John Shelton. John remembers a neck and neck struggle he had with Gary Kliese in one NRRA premiership. It went right down to the wire. Those who remember the golden career of Grafton’s John Hutchings will enjoy this stroll down memory lane.