Episode 455: Ron Hutchinson

We’ve had several emails from older racing fans requesting a podcast with former legendary jockey Ron Hutchinson. I’m sorry you missed the interview we posted three and a half years ago with the famous Australian jockey who also left an indelible mark in Europe. Like his compatriot Scobie Breasley, Ron reached great heights in the veteran years and won a Singapore premiership at age 53. In response to continued enquiries I’m thrilled to present once again our 2020 podcast with a great jockey and a special human being. He delights in talking about his present day racing interest and frequent visits to Melbourne meetings. Ron pays tribute to his four kids- daughters Susan and Sally and sons Peter and Raymond. He takes us right back to childhood days when his parents strongly opposed his ambition to become a jockey. Ron looks back on valuable tuition from famous old time jockey Bobby Lewis whose fourth Melbourne Cup win was in 1927. He still shares the Cup riding record with the late Harry White. You won’t believe how clearly Ron recalls his very first winning ride at Mentone in 1945, and his first major win in the Australian Cup of the same year. “Hutchy” was christened the “Cups King” long before Bart Cummings earned the tag. He talks of some of his 60 Cup wins around Australia. He looks back on his Melbourne Cup CV. He wasn’t able to win the great race in 16 attempts but says there were a couple he’d like to have over again. Ron says the opposition was so strong during his Melbourne riding days that he was happy to get away with one premiership in 1958/59. He speaks highly of two high profile horses he rode before going overseas. The former champion jockey recalls the telegram he received from Irish training whiz Paddy Prendergast offering him a stable retainer. He looks back on the early months of the new partnership and an important Irish 2000 Guineas win on Kythnos. “Hutchy” recalls a successful week at Royal Ascot in 1960 which was followed by a surprise offer from a very high profile owner. He’s never forgotten the loyalty of the Duke of Norfolk who retained him for 17 years. He says he was thrilled to be able to deliver the Duke’s dearest wish- a win in the famous Ascot Gold Cup. Ron pays tribute to three British racing icons. He looks back on his biggest racing disappointment- the loss of the ride on the 1966 English Derby winner. The legendary horseman explains that he would have been on the 1978 Derby winner Shirley Heights, but had decided to retire six months earlier. Ron recalls the pride he took in donning the Royal colours. His very first ride for Queen Elizabeth was a winner at Lingfield. He remembers his excitement when Balmerino arrived in England. He identified the talented New Zealander as the horse to bring down the curtain on his career. Ron didn’t realise at the time that subsequent tempting offers would delay his retirement plans. He remembers his final three seasons in Malaysia/Singapore and another jockey’s premiership at age 53.  “Hutchy” reflects on many a racing accident in thirty three years of race riding, but says he was relatively lucky. We look back on a lovely night I spent with the Hutchinsons in England 50 years ago. Ron and Norma were splendid hosts. You don’t often get to hear the reminiscences of a man who rode his first winner in Melbourne at the end of WW2 and went on to amazing success internationally. This podcast will always be one of my favourites.