Wayne Hutchinson
Jump jockey Wayne Hutchinson was born in Swindon on February 25, 1981. While there was no racing connection within his family, other than his father having a bet on a Saturday, his mother rode horses at local shows. Wayne started riding ponies with her.
Jump jockey Wayne Hutchinson was born in Swindon on February 25, 1981. While there was no racing connection within his family, other than his father having a bet on a Saturday, his mother rode horses at local shows. Wayne started riding ponies with her.
When he was fourteen he went to work for trainer Mark Usher in his school holidays and at weekends. Once he left school he started there full time. He rode his first winner on his eighth ride in public, Whatever’s Right, trained by Usher, at Salisbury on August 7, 1998. His second, on River Frontier at Ripon, and third, Stolen Music at Beverley, followed later that same month. By then his three winners had come from only thirteen rides.
When he was fourteen he went to work for trainer Mark Usher in his school holidays and at weekends. Once he left school he started there full time. He rode his first winner on his eighth ride in public, Whatever’s Right, trained by Usher, at Salisbury on August 7, 1998. His second, on River Frontier at Ripon, and third, Stolen Music at Beverley, followed later that same month. By then his three winners had come from only thirteen rides.
At the age of sixteen he weighed just under 8st. He rode for another year on the Flat and had a total of ten winners, but his weight gradually began to increase. His ambition was to be a jump jockey but Usher only had four or five jumpers. As Stan Mellor trained barely ten minutes from Wayne’s home, moving yards was an obvious move.
At the age of sixteen he weighed just under 8st. He rode for another year on the Flat and had a total of ten winners, but his weight gradually began to increase. His ambition was to be a jump jockey but Usher only had four or five jumpers. As Stan Mellor trained barely ten minutes from Wayne’s home, moving yards was an obvious move.
But it was not long after Wayne arrived there in 1999 that Mellor commenced the gradual winding down of his training operation. He thus moved to another jump jockey icon, Jeff King, to gain further experience. He rode his first winner over jumps on Phase Eight Girl for trainer James Hetherton in a conditional jockeys’ selling hurdle at Huntingdon on Spring Bank Holiday Monday, May 28, 2001. He finished that 2001/02 campaign with four winners from 80 rides.
But it was not long after Wayne arrived there in 1999 that Mellor commenced the gradual winding down of his training operation. He thus moved to another jump jockey icon, Jeff King, to gain further experience. He rode his first winner over jumps on Phase Eight Girl for trainer James Hetherton in a conditional jockeys’ selling hurdle at Huntingdon on Spring Bank Holiday Monday, May 28, 2001. He finished that 2001/02 campaign with four winners from 80 rides.
Wayne spent just over a season with Jeff King, but he too began to wind down his training career. Hence, Wayne joined Alan King (no relation) in the role of conditional jockey in July 2002. He also struck up a successful acquaintance with Carmarthen trainer Alison Thorpe which resulted in half a dozen wins by the end of the year.
Wayne spent just over a season with Jeff King, but he too began to wind down his training career. Hence, Wayne joined Alan King (no relation) in the role of conditional jockey in July 2002. He also struck up a successful acquaintance with Carmarthen trainer Alison Thorpe which resulted in half a dozen wins by the end of the year.
Friday 13th December 2002 was a day he will long remember. Superstitious or not, he must have reckoned it wasn’t his lucky day when his intended mount, the Charlie Mann-trained Coastguard, was withdrawn from the conditional jockeys’ chase at Cheltenham because of unsuitable ground. Meanwhile, dense fog had thwarted four riders’ plans to fly from Doncaster to Cheltenham in time for the last race. This meant the only option was to make the journey by car and, caught up in heavy Friday afternoon traffic, they were soon losing their battle against the clock. The quartet included Tony Evans, who was due to partner the favourite, Susan Nock’s grey chaser Tom Costalot. Wayne thus came in for the ride and, taking the lead four from home, the partnership stayed on doggedly to score by seven lengths and give Wayne his first victory over fences at Cheltenham.
Friday 13th December 2002 was a day he will long remember. Superstitious or not, he must have reckoned it wasn’t his lucky day when his intended mount, the Charlie Mann-trained Coastguard, was withdrawn from the conditional jockeys’ chase at Cheltenham because of unsuitable ground. Meanwhile, dense fog had thwarted four riders’ plans to fly from Doncaster to Cheltenham in time for the last race. This meant the only option was to make the journey by car and, caught up in heavy Friday afternoon traffic, they were soon losing their battle against the clock. The quartet included Tony Evans, who was due to partner the favourite, Susan Nock’s grey chaser Tom Costalot. Wayne thus came in for the ride and, taking the lead four from home, the partnership stayed on doggedly to score by seven lengths and give Wayne his first victory over fences at Cheltenham.
The weather again played in his favour on New Year’s Day 1993. The abandonment of Exeter, where he had one booked ride, allowed him to divert to Leicester, where he won a two-mile chase on Kind Sir.
The weather again played in his favour on New Year’s Day 1993. The abandonment of Exeter, where he had one booked ride, allowed him to divert to Leicester, where he won a two-mile chase on Kind Sir.
Wayne went on to become Alan King’s long-time number two jockey to Robert ‘Choc’ Thornton. He achieved his first big race success on Halcon Genelardais in the 2006 Welsh National. He rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner on Oh Crick in the 2009 Grand Annual Chase. In December 2011 he scored two big race successes aboard West End Rocker in the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences and Raya Star in the Listed Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot.
Wayne went on to become Alan King’s long-time number two jockey to Robert ‘Choc’ Thornton. He achieved his first big race success on Halcon Genelardais in the 2006 Welsh National. He rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner on Oh Crick in the 2009 Grand Annual Chase. In December 2011 he scored two big race successes aboard West End Rocker in the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences and Raya Star in the Listed Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot.
He registered his first Grade 1 victory on L’Unique in the Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree on April 4, 2013. A fortnight later his won the Scottish Grand National on Godsmejudge. Both his other big wins that year were gained on Medinas in the Coral Cup and the Welsh Champion Hurdle. He gained further Grade 1 successes courtesy of Balder Succes in the 2014 Maghull Novices' Chase and the 2015 Ascot Chase.
He registered his first Grade 1 victory on L’Unique in the Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree on April 4, 2013. A fortnight later his won the Scottish Grand National on Godsmejudge. Both his other big wins that year were gained on Medinas in the Coral Cup and the Welsh Champion Hurdle. He gained further Grade 1 successes courtesy of Balder Succes in the 2014 Maghull Novices' Chase and the 2015 Ascot Chase.
Wayne moved seamlessly into the number-one slot with Alan King when Choc Thornton was forced to retire through injury in 2015. He scored a major success when winning that year’s Hennessy Gold Cup on Smad Place.
Wayne moved seamlessly into the number-one slot with Alan King when Choc Thornton was forced to retire through injury in 2015. He scored a major success when winning that year’s Hennessy Gold Cup on Smad Place.
Other notable wins soon followed including the 2016 Red Rum Chase on Katachenko, the 2017 Old Roan Chase on Smad Place, and the 2017 Greatwood Hurdle and 2018 Kingwell Hurdle, both on Elgin. In April 2019 he won the Bet365 Gold Cup (formerly known as the Whitbread Gold Cup) at Sandown on Talkischeap.
Other notable wins soon followed including the 2016 Red Rum Chase on Katachenko, the 2017 Old Roan Chase on Smad Place, and the 2017 Greatwood Hurdle and 2018 Kingwell Hurdle, both on Elgin. In April 2019 he won the Bet365 Gold Cup (formerly known as the Whitbread Gold Cup) at Sandown on Talkischeap.
He enjoyed his most successful season in 2018-19 when notching up 88 winners, placing him eighth in the jockey’s table.
He enjoyed his most successful season in 2018-19 when notching up 88 winners, placing him eighth in the jockey’s table.
He missed a couple of months in the summer of 2019 after breaking a bone in a hand schooling, but came back and rode a winner on his first ride back when Scarlet Dragon won the Listed Ferry Ales Brewery Prelude Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen on September 28.
He missed a couple of months in the summer of 2019 after breaking a bone in a hand schooling, but came back and rode a winner on his first ride back when Scarlet Dragon won the Listed Ferry Ales Brewery Prelude Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen on September 28.
That proved to be Wayne’s final winner. He had what turned out to be his last rides in public on two of Alan King’s chasers, Mahlermade and Peggies Venture (both finished seventh) at Hereford on October 15, 2019.
That proved to be Wayne’s final winner. He had what turned out to be his last rides in public on two of Alan King’s chasers, Mahlermade and Peggies Venture (both finished seventh) at Hereford on October 15, 2019.
On October 28 Wayne shocked the jump racing world by announcing his retirement from the saddle with immediate effect, bringing to an end one of the most enduring partnerships in the modern era of the sport. He said: “I’m immensely proud to be going out on my own terms.”
On October 28 Wayne shocked the jump racing world by announcing his retirement from the saddle with immediate effect, bringing to an end one of the most enduring partnerships in the modern era of the sport. He said: “I’m immensely proud to be going out on my own terms.”
He thanked his agent Chris Broad and his wife Jane for their constant support through his 20-odd years in the saddle.
He thanked his agent Chris Broad and his wife Jane for their constant support through his 20-odd years in the saddle.
Wayne rode 795 winners over jumps in Britain, plus 11 on the Flat (his 11th was a jump jockeys’ Flat race).
Wayne rode 795 winners over jumps in Britain, plus 11 on the Flat (his 11th was a jump jockeys’ Flat race).
His elder son Callum has joined Andrew Balding as an apprentice.
His elder son Callum has joined Andrew Balding as an apprentice.