‘It’s been a huge vote of confidence from the local owners’

With less than two weeks until the new Hong Kong season kicks off, trainer Jamie Richards is a touch nervous, but incredibly excited.

Richards, who joined Te Akau Racing as its racing manager in 2014 and a little more than 12 months later began training in partnership with Stephen Autridge, was granted a licence for the 2022/23 season by the Hong Kong Jockey Club last December.

Since then, Richards has been extremely busy setting up his team, both human and equine, and adjusting to his new environment.

Richards has been in Hong Kong three months. It’s been an eye-opening experience, one he has thoroughly enjoyed.

“We’re obviously in a new country where things are done pretty differently to what I’m used to, in terms of galloping and trialling and all of those things because of the climate and the heat and the humidity,” Richards told TDN AusNZ from Hong Kong.

“We don’t gallop them as regularly or as hard as we do back home.

“Training horses isn’t rocket science, but there are certain things you need to adjust to here and that’s taken a bit of getting used to. For example, I knew the work that we gave them before they were ready to trial in New Zealand… we’re sort of working off that template here, but it’s whether that’s right or wrong… we’re going to find in the next few weeks as we start to have some horses that are ready to trial.”

Self-belief

Richards is a four-time Champion New Zealand trainer with more than 50 Group 1 wins to his credit. He was the head trainer for the goliath Te Akau Racing operation, responsible for horses including Group 1 stars Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) and Xtravagant (NZ).

In January 2021, he completed the fastest training century in New Zealand, bettering the previous record by nearly three months and ended the season with a record-breaking 160 wins, including 40 stakes wins (15 Group 1s).

Gallery: Some of Te Akau Racing's Group 1 winners trained by Jamie Richards, images courtesy of NZ Racing Desk

He’s a good trainer, an excellent trainer, and he’s confident he will make the grade, although, he knows he has a lot of hard yards ahead.

“At the end of the day, horses are horses, so you’ve just got to get to know your animals. We’ll just ease into it, we’re not expecting fireworks in the early part of the season, but by the time October comes around, hopefully we’ll be up and going,” said Richards.

Richards trains from Sha Tin’s Olympic Stables, which means a little walk or trot for the horses before they reach the course proper. Again, something that is foreign and has taken getting used to.

“It’s just something that we’re getting on with. We’re in a wonderful facility in the Olympic Stables, which is down behind the half-mile, but a fair way away from the track,” he said.

“It’s very spacious down here, there’s a lot of room. All of the horses are on ground level; there’s no double or triple-storey levels here.

“There’s plenty of room, there’s a nice dressage arena, there’s a very good straight pool… we’re certainly happy with where we are. It’s just about understanding the logistics of being down here and how that may impact the horses’ work you give them, because they are doing a decent walk on the way home and a decent trot on the way up.”

The social game

Like any trainer starting off in racing’s mecca, wining and dining owners, both current and prospective, is part and parcel of the job.

Richards is lucky to have his fiancé, former star Kiwi jockey, Danielle Johnson, by his side. According to Richards, Johnson has been instrumental in growing the stable.

“Yeah, that’s a very important part of it over here… getting out and having lunch and dinner and meeting owners and that kind of thing. We’re living in a really vibrant city and people want to get out; a lot of the local guys do like to eat out. It was really important in the first month I was here and that still continues on a weekly basis,” Richards explained.

“Danielle has certainly been a big part of getting out and meeting the owners, it’s something she is very good at – having a few champagnes and keeping everyone entertained.”

It seems the time invested socialising has paid dividends, with already 50 horses in Richards' care. He has room for 60 and will soon be at capacity, with more exports on the way.

Richards said he has been blown away by the support.

“It’s been a huge vote of confidence from the local owners. I didn’t think we were going to end up with this many to start with,” Richards said.

“The owners have been wonderful, really. They’ve given me a lot of support and horse numbers for a guy that’s very new here, so it will be interesting to see how it all goes.”

Talent acquisition

Richards said he is 'always looking' for horses to add to the stable and will head home for the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale at Karaka in mid-November.

One talented galloper he has already acquired is Sinba (Xtravagant {NZ}). Offered by Newhaven Park at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session, he was bought by Ric Wylie Bloodstock / Mark Richards for $90,000.

Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Sinba won four of his nine starts in Australia.

“He arrived out of quarantine last week, so he’s just been in the trotting ring a few days. He’s obviously a horse that’s got a good profile,” Richards commented.

“Everybody that imports a horse like him with decent form is aiming for the 4-year-old series, whether he is good enough for that remains to be ben seen, but he’s a horse that likes firm ground, he’s by an exciting stallion who’s doing a good job, so hopefully he will shape up.”

Matsukaze (Maurice {Jpn}), who was consigned to the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, has also joined the Richards stable. Offered by Arrowfield Stud, he was bought by Hawkes Racing for $300,000.

Matsukaze raced four times, winning once (at Sandown-Hillside) and placing twice.

“He’s a winner in Melbourne and hopefully he’s a horse that can do a job for us. He looks like he should get over a bit of ground,” he said.

Gallery: Some of Jamie Richards' recent acquisitions in Hong Kong

Another stable addition is Faulds (Swear), a 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale graduate from the Widden Stud draft. He was knocked down to Hawkes Racing for $80,000.

Faulds won his only start in Australia – a 2-year-old maiden at Geelong in December 2020.

“Both he and Matsukaze came from Orbis Bloodstock in Australia and they both look progressive types,” Richards added.

In terms of human resources, Richards has slowly but surely built his team.

He has added Jones Ma, who has moved across from Richard Gibson’s stable.

“Everybody is paid by the Jockey Club,” Richards said.

“I’ve been very lucky to get Jones Ma. He was looking for a bit of a change after about 13 years with Richard. He’s come across and been great. He looks after most of the staff, as there can be a bit of a language barrier.

“We’ve got a couple of good expat work riders here, one from France and one from Ireland, and the local boys are riding well.”

Sage advice

Richards has sought counsel from compatriot Paul O’Sullivan, who finished up training in Hong Kong at the end of last season.

O’Sullivan sent out more than 500 winners in Hong Kong since relocating in 2004, and his highlights include two G1 Hong Kong Spring triumphs with Kiwi-bred speedster Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins).

Richards said: “Paul has been a big help and I ended up getting some of his horses and a few of his owners, as well. He gave me some really good advice, he said, ‘You’ve got to adapt to the way things are done here in Hong Kong, because Hong Kong’s not going to adapt to your style’.

“David Hayes and David Hall have both been very helpful and approachable, too.”

Realistic goals

Richards is under no illusions regarding the enormity of the task he is undertaking, and knows it may be a slow burn.

“We’re going to be a little bit slow out of the blocks; I think if we trained 20-30 winners, I’d very happy. Anything more than that, would be a bonus,” Richards said.

“We’re just going to have to see how it unfolds.”

For reference, in the first season of his second stint in Hong Kong (2020/21), two-time Hong Kong Champion Trainer David Hayes registered 32 wins.