With a fresh stable, a new team and a deliberate strategy in place, Jamie Richards kicked off the Hong Kong season at Sha Tin exactly as he hoped, securing a double that sent an early statement of intent after what he freely admits was “a shocking season”.
Groovy Feeling and Bulb General, both ridden by Zac Purton, provided the reward of a carefully mapped plan to hit the ground running. After losing more horses to other stables than any other handler last term and ultimately finishing 18th in the championship, Richards knew an immediate return to the winner’s enclosure was crucial.
“It’s just nice when a plan comes off,” he told Idol Horse at Sha Tin. “I asked Zac to ride these horses six weeks ago because I wanted to start strong, to try and remind the owners and everyone here that I hadn’t forgotten how to do it after a shocking season last year.”
For Richards, who collected 22 wins last season but lost the same number of horses to other trainers throughout the campaign, early success was important given the amount of owners that had walked out of his stable.
He also acknowledged that an immediate return to the winner’s enclosure was significant considering the number of changes that have happened behind the scenes with both his stable location and overall team.
“It’s good to start well with a new team and a new stable,” Richards added. “The team has been absolutely great, it’s a fresh start and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards from here.”
Richards arrived in Hong Kong for the 2022-23 season after a record-breaking tenure with Te Akau Racing in New Zealand, where he saddled 53 Group 1 winners in just six and a half years. He led in 35 winners in his maiden Hong Kong campaign, followed by 31 and 22, respectively, in the past two seasons.
But after three years of experience at the Olympic Stables, situated near Sha Tin’s quarantine area turning for home, Richards requested to switch base to the main complex towards the end of last season. Some of the trainers to previously occupy the Olympic Stables suggested they were at a disadvantage to those based down the other end of the back straight.
He has also seen a change in personnel. Former jockey Ben So, Danny Shum’s former assistant, has joined Richards in the same role after his former right-hand man, Jones Ma, joined the Francis Lui stable.
“We’re trying to get things back on track and I think I’ve got the unfortunate record for the most stable transfers – I’ve lost around 50 in 18 months,” Richards added. “It’s not easy to compete when you lose that many horses but hopefully we can turn it around and get it going.”
Bulb General, who has now won two of his three starts after his dominant success over 1200m on Sunday, may prove central to Richards’ revival.
Following the impressive one-and-a-half length success, the 36-year-old trainer was quick to point out just how valuable the gelding had already been in keeping some of his 45-strong stable in his yard last season. He also suggested the four-year-old could emerge as a Classic Series contender.
“He’s a very relaxed horse and he’s a raceday horse not a trackwork horse, but we’re very pleased with the way he’s going,” Richards said. “He was a big help to us last season and he probably stopped a few transfers walking out the door. Of course, all the owners here want to be part of the four-year-old series, and let’s hope he’s good enough.”
Groovy Feeling had earlier got Richards rolling at Sha Tin by holding on narrowly in a Class 4 contest over 1200m.
“We targeted him to be ready on the first day after he ran a blinder at the end of last season when he finished third,” Richards said. “It looked like he was going to run second but he clung on and that’s why you put Zac on.” ∎
