As a jockey, Jamie Bullard made his name as one of the best in the business until weight struggles became too challenging.

On Wednesday at Riccarton Park his skills were on display in his second career as a trainer when he saddled up four starters for three wins and a second.

“I’ve never done that before, definitely a one-off,” said Bullard, who topped 1000 wins in his two-decade jockey career.

“Maybe it’s a one-off but we’ll take it. We’ve only got seven in work and one more coming in next month makes it eight and that’s our limit.”

Bullard’s memorable day began in the fourth race on Wednesday’s card with two-year-old El Doute gelding Hezzarocstar, who had finished third in his only previous start and dug deep to down Cool As Bling, trained by another former leading jockey, David Walsh.

“That was good to see, and I enjoyed it when Walshy came straight up and shook my hand,” Bullard said. “He’s still got a bit to learn, so there’s a lot of upside to him.

“My mother (Sheryl Bishop) co-bred him but she passed away six or seven months ago and never got to see him race, so seeing him win was a bit emotional.”

After Nortibutnice had finished second in the Rating 75 1400m event, stablemate The Boss Lady won the first of two Rating 65 1600m races on the day.

The four-year-old Vadamos mare was having her first start since finishing third in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) last autumn.

“My partner Rochelle (Lloyd) is the majority owner and that’s where the name came from, after all she is the boss around here,” Bullard said.

Super-consistent Jon Snow gelding Villasanti completed the Bullard’s big innings when he took his record from 12 starts to two wins, six seconds and four thirds with a well-deserved win in the second Rating 65 1600m.

“He’s still getting there and has done pretty well, but we won’t see the best of him until next year.”

All four of Bullard’s runners were ridden by Kate Hercock, continuing a rewarding season for the Hawke’s Bay jockey capped by last month’s upset win on Manzor Blue in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m).

“When we got to that last race I was starting to think this can’t be happening, but it did and a lot of the credit has to go to Kate,” Bullard said.

“It meant a lot that she came down here to ride my team and to get those results shows you again what an under-rated rider she is.”

Bullard operates from a property at Templeton with its own track, which necessitates trips into Riccarton only to gallop or to advance the education of younger stable members.

“It works well for us and it’s great to get results like this, but if it wasn’t for Rochelle I probably wouldn’t be doing this.”

During a jockey career that began in 1992 and ended in the 2013-14 season, Bullard rode 1,011 winners, famously headed by Balmuse when denying Starcraft of a first-ever spring triple crown as he upset the Glen Boss-ridden raider at 40-to-one in the 2004 Hastings feature.

Increasing weight severely restricted his opportunities and it was a massive relief when he finally decided to hang up his saddle.

“On the morning of the races that day I was walking at 60/61 kilos and I rode at 58, then within four days I was up to 66 kilos,” he recalled.

“It took a wee bit to get over it, like I was stuck in neutral, I didn’t know what to do. I would have been happy not to ride another horse, but then after a while Rochelle talked me into riding a bit of work and I guess it’s gone from there.

“Here I am training a handful now and even if my body feels like it’s 71-years-old, not 51, I guess days like this make it worthwhile.”