Racing: Hutchings repays debt of gratitude

Rory Hutchings was the happiest man at Ellerslie yesterday after Soriano swept past Weregoingtogetcha to win the feature event. Photo / Nick Reed

Talented jockey shows his maturity by winning his first group one race aboard Soriano in Zabeel Classic.

Life suddenly fell into place for Rory Hutchings at 6.10 last night with Soriano's $200,000 Zabeel Classic victory at Ellerslie.

It was his first group one success, but that was a minor issue in this win.

The 19-year-old has had anything but a saloon passage through to the top ranks of New Zealand's jockeys.

As a 16-year-old he walked out of Lance O'Sullivan's Matamata stable under dark circumstances.

It might have ended right there but for the nurture offered by Soriano's owner Denise Howell, longtime office manager of the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson stable, to whom Hutchings had his apprenticeship transferred.

"I owe Denise everything -- she is a second mother to me," Hutchings was happy to reveal after coming from last on the home bend to win last evening's group one feature.

"Denise keeps me on the straight road."

To repay Howell, Hutchings has been desperate to win a group one race on Soriano.

"I've had all sorts of group one placings on her, including being beaten half a head in this race last year."

Hutchings knows he's matured significantly in his time with the Rogerson stable and it shows.

"It's all about confidence and with that comes opportunities."

He says he was too young when he first went into a stable.

"I was very young and I was thrown into a world run by adults and I made some wrong decisions. Looking back I shouldn't have started that early."

But any rift with O'Sullivan is now repaired.

"We get on well now and I'm riding Whoseyourmaster for the stable in the Railway."

Graeme Rogerson was delighted for Hutchings and Denise Howell.

"Denise raced this mare's dam and her grand-dam and I can't wait until this mare goes to stud, hopefully after she wins the triple crown at Hastings next year."

At the presentation Rogerson paid tribute to Hutchings' work ethic which included riding trackwork 4.30am to 6.00am, despite a big workload on a huge Ellerslie raceday.

"I then went for a 12k sweat run and had a long sauna before the races."

Weregoingtogetcha looked like causing a major upset when he burst to the front at the 300m, but Soriano was too strong.

Pondarosa Miss turned in a remarkable run to finish third from the back of the field.

She shied away from horses inside her alarmingly on the home bend and lost lengths before storming down the outside.

Rider Noel Harris reckoned the incident cost him two lengths.

Graphic finished fourth and Veyron turned in a beaut for fifth, with favourite Puccini seventh.