Richards reflects on debut Hong Kong season

When the curtain comes down on the 2022-23 Hong Kong racing season at Sha Tin on Sunday night, Jamie Richards will have every reason to be satisfied with what he’s achieved in the past year.
The environment is like no other in the racing world, certainly quite different to what Richards left behind as a four-time New Zealand trainers’ premiership winner in what can already be described as a stellar career.
The 33-year-old got the gig coveted by trainers from around the world, becoming just the second New Zealander after Paul O’Sullivan to be granted a trainer’s licence by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. More than 750 wins – 53 of them Group Ones – during seven years with Te Akau Racing opened the door to an opportunity that Richards has grabbed with both hands.
He admits frankly that he initially struggled adjusting to the requirements of training in such a different environment and it was a long month into the season before he saddled his first winner. While still very much at the learning stage, Richards is now far more comfortable as the 10-month Hong Kong season draws to a close.
With two racedays remaining, a tally of 34 wins from 332 starters and stakes of HK$34.44 million (NZ$7.3m) place him 12th equal on the 22-strong trainers’ premiership. Australian John Size has sealed a record 12th trainers’ premiership with 75 wins, while fellow Australian David Hall is ninth on the table with 42 and David Hayes – a dual premiership winner in his first Hong Kong stint – is alongside Richards on 34 wins.
While possessing that natural inclination to always want to do better, Richards accepts that he has to be satisfied with the inroads he has made in his debut season.
“I think we’ve had a commendable first season,” he said when RaceForm touched base with him earlier this week. “We started slowly basically because I didn’t understand the systems, what worked and what didn’t with training the horses I started out with and just getting a handle on a whole lot of things.
“It’s been a real eye-opener and you’ve got to wear it as you come to grips with everything, but I’m very fortunate to have a good assistant trainer in Johnson Ma as well as quality staff.
“Once I started to get my head around how things work here and with the horses hitting their straps, we started to get our share of winners.
“Things have slowed down a bit over the past few weeks, but that’s mainly about horses that have risen up through the grades reaching their mark.”
Australian jockey Zac Purton, who last weekend set a new benchmark when topping Joao Moreira’s record of 170 wins in a season, has been a significant contributor to Richards’ tally with 18 wins from 81 rides.
“Any time you have Zac on board is a big help, he understands racing here so well, from the pace of a race, the form, everything. He’s in massive demand and you can’t always get him, but when we do it’s definitely a bonus.”
While Richards and his partner Danielle Johnson are looking forward to a vacation during the downtime between seasons, there’s a whole lot to look forward to when racing kicks off again in September.
The building blocks of a hand-selected team are taking shape, with a major bonus announced last week his acquisition of star sprinter Wellington, whose trainer, Englishman Richard Gibson, is about to end his 12-year Hong Kong tenure.
“My AT Johnson used to be with Richard, which has led to me becoming Wellington’s new trainer,” Richards explained. “He has his quirks but we’ll just take him quietly, allow him the time he needs to get over his Royal Ascot trip and hopefully have him ready for the big sprints in the new season.
“It doesn’t get any easier with the younger horses coming through – Lucky Sweynesse has shown that over the past few months – but this horse has proven class, so it will be our job to keep him sound and healthy and see where it takes him.”
A major part of Richards’ supply line is the family operation back in New Zealand headed by his father Paul. “Dad has quite a few horses getting ready for export up here; between the stable at the Matamata track and the spelling farm it’s working well.
“I’ve got some nice horses already here that will be good to get going in the new season, also having access to the Conghua training centre now that I’m heading into my second season will be a big boost.
“The facilities I have in the Olympic stable at Sha Tin are very good – nice big boxes, a schooling arena and a straight swimming pool – but being able to send horses out to Conghua for a change of environment and a freshen-up, I’m certain that will work well.”
On a personal level, Richards and former champion jockey Johnson are excited at the prospect of becoming parents later this year. “Yes, we have a little boy arriving at the back end of December, so that will be special, we’re both really looking forward to that. Everyone tells us that it’s a big life change, and we’re definitely up for it.”
New Zealand isn’t on their itinerary during the end-of-season downtime, but Richards plans to be at the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka and again in January for the yearling sales.