Former top New Zealand apprentice Rory Hutchings achieved a milestone in his career when notching his 500th win last Sunday.
Hutchings recorded the highlight on Henschel at Port Macquarie for trainer Allan Denham, taking his tally for the new season to six.
As a result of his constant struggle to keep his weight in check, Hutchings is restricted with raceday opportunities, but is pleased to be race riding after a break when returning to New Zealand last year to regroup and get his career back on track.
Hutchings rode a personal best of 109 wins in the 2013-14 season when apprenticed to Graeme Rogerson and also recorded his two Group One wins for the Tuhikaramea trainer on Soriano in the 2014 Zabeel Classic (2000m) and the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m).
A shift to Sydney to team up with Chris Waller resulted in him becoming the first Kiwi-born jockey to win apprentice titles in New Zealand and Australia when taking the Sydney Apprentice Jockeys’ Premiership in 2015-16 (his first full season in Sydney) and he joined fellow Kiwi James McDonald as a four-time champion apprentice.
During his four-year stint with Waller, Hutchings rode 149 winners, including Burbero in the 2015 Gr.2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
