Jockey, clerk of the course, assistant judge, stable foreman – Vanessa Hutchinson’s first official winner as a trainer was 37 years and a wealth of industry experience in the making.
Halo Quest saluted at Warrnambool last Friday, giving Mount Gambier-based Hutchinson a winner with the 10th runner under her name.
However, the 51-year-old is far from a training novice. She has prepared horses with partner Darren Kolpin for years, and is now working as foreman for the Michael O’Leary stable.
“I’ve trained winners before, but this was the first one in my name, so it was great,” she said.
“I actually felt more relieved than anything. She should’ve won ages ago, but she’s a funny little horse.”
Hutchinson is a familiar figure at the Mount Gambier Racing Club and has filled a range of roles over the years.
“I had to retire as clerk of the course, because I have to do Michael’s horses now,” she said.
“But I’ve also been an assistant judge, clerk of scales, and a trainee steward at one stage.
“I even worked behind the gate for a couple of days when they needed somebody.
“I don’t know anything else.”
Hutchinson’s love affair with thoroughbreds began in earnest when she started working in a stable as a 14-year-old, before she commenced as an apprentice jockey at “15 or 16”.
She was apprenticed to O’Leary until she was 21 and enjoyed her share of riding success.
“In those days your apprenticeship ended at 21, so I did the longest apprenticeship in the world,” she laughed.
“I kept riding after my apprenticeship and rode a fair few winners in Adelaide.
“At one stage I was the second leading jockey in the Wimmera, until I fell off and broke my leg.
“I think I ran second in every metropolitan racetrack in Melbourne, but I also rode a fair few winners.
“When I was 27, I busted my arm, so I retired from race riding.”
Hutchinson linked up with Hamilton-based Kolpin to form an unofficial training partnership, before COVID border issues forced a change.
“I had Jester Halo over here in South Australia, which was all right before COVID,” she said.
“But when that happened, Darren said ‘Well, you might as well get your licence’, which I did straight away.
“So, I got some of the horses and he got some of them. I’ve got four now.”
Mount Gambier Racing Club general manager Brett Watson described Hutchinson as “a good horsewoman and a hard worker”.
“She’s one of the battlers, so it was good to see her break through as a trainer, so early in her licensing,” he said.
“I think a lot of the local trainers were glad to see Vanessa get a win as well and she’s got a couple of handy horses there.
“And her owners have strongly supported the club through sponsorship and things like that.”
While Hutchinson has warmed to training, given a choice, she would still be race riding.
“Riding’s great,” she said.
“You don’t have to take them home when they don’t perform, you can just throw your hands in the air and say ‘I dunno’.
“But when you’re training, you’ve got to go home and work out why.
“I just want to train some winners and have fun doing it, but I’m happy with four at the moment, because I’m full-time with O’Leary’s.”
Meanwhile Hutchinson threw in a late nomination for tomorrow’s Morphettville Parks meeting with Jester Halo (pictured), who will contest race six, a 1300m benchmark 86 event over 1300m.