It's been a great end to the year for Swindon jump jockey Wayne Hutchinson, who won the biggest race in his career when he partnered Halcon Genelardais 7/1 to victory in the Corals Welsh National at Chepstow for his governor Alan King.

The six-year-old landed the ante post gamble having been backed at double the odds during the month.

The Swindon rider started the week with a double on Boxing day aboard Appollo Lady and Nykel, both for the Barbury Castle yard and followed up with another double on the Welsh National winner and The Real Deal for trainer Nick Williams.

The purple patch continued with a victory on the Tom George trained Broken Reed at Leicester on Thursday to chalk up five winners in three days.

The Welsh National triumph was a real local affair, as well as the jockey and trainer, the groom who looks after the winner and rides him out every day is Rachel Gooch from Covingham, Stratton.

Trainer Alan King has his string in fine form, as well as winning the big race at Chepstow he also won the big race at Kempton, the inaugural running of the Desert Orchid Chase with Voy Por Ustedes partnered by Robert Thornton to complete a great afternoon for the local trainer.

A delighted Hutchinson told Turf Talk: "Things have gone very well for me this season and I am well on my way to beating last season's number of winners.

"It's great to get a chance to ride a high-profile winner, Halcon Genelardais travelled and jumped well and it was the third time I had won on him from three rides, it was fantastic - the kind of thing you dream about."

The 25-year-old jockey started out on the flat but always wanted to ride over the jumps and joined former jockey/trainer Stan Mellor when he trained at Wanborough where he gained some valuable experience from the Mellor, the first jockey to ride 1,000 winners.

When Stan Mellor retired he switched to Jeff King at Broad Hinton for a spell before joining Alan King at Barbury Castle.

n Swindon jockey George Baker will be looking for a couple of winners over the weekend in an attempt to beat his best ever total of winners.

Currently on 70 his previous best was 71.

"It would be nice to beat that," said the local pilot, "but whatever happens over the next couple of days it's been a brilliant year and I'm happy with the way things have gone."

Baker rode his 70th winner at Wolverhampton in mid-week when he partnered Lazy Darren to victory for trainer Richard Hannon.

"It was my first ride for Richard since I was an apprentice and the horse did his job really well."