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Australia: Former G1-winning jockey Catherine Hutchinson (née Tremayne), who made history in 1997 when she became the first female rider to record a six-timer, saddled her first winner as a trainer on Saturday at Caulfield.

Under her maiden name Cathy Tremayne, she was a pioneering female jockey in New Zealand, numbering more than 500 career victories as a jockey including seven at the top level. She also enjoyed success in the Asian hubs of Singapore and Malaysia; her six-timer came at Ruakaka in June 1997.

In recent years she has worked for Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent and when he decided on a sabbatical – since cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic – Hutchinson was gifted a couple of horses to train in her name. 

One of those was 20-1 shot Leale, ridden by apprentice Lewis German to a half-neck success over Regardsmaree in a 7f handicap at the Melbourne track. 

"I rode for Mick in Singapore when he was training over there and I've worked solidly for him over the past six years," Hutchinson explained. "I did a lot for him before that as well when I used to pre-train for him.

"Mick's holiday has been cut short because of what's going on in the world, so he might be back sooner than he anticipated," Hutchinson went on, adding that she is unlikely to return to work with Kent, preferring to keep training under her own right.

"I won't get big, just carry on doing my own thing and potter around with a few horses," she said.

Leale was Hutchinson's sixth runner in her own right, joining her alongside Listed-race winner Amadeus from owner Graham Loader. "To get my first winner, with it coming at Caulfield, I could never have imagined it," Hutchinson said. "I've been very lucky to have been gifted horses like her and Amadeus."

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