Autridge Returns to Helm at Te Akau

The Waikato Times reports:

Matamata trainer Stephen Autridge issued a timely reminder of his skill and experience when his charge Tavis Star won the first race at Te Aroha on Wednesday.

The previous day he had been declared as a partner in a new training partnership to steer the powerful Te Akau Racing operation.

Tavis Star relished the testing conditions at a rain swept Te Aroha to wear down the favourite Diamond Duchess at the business end of the race.

It was a deserved win for the Tavistock filly who has progressed well under Autridge's care and hinted a win was close with an unlucky previous start second at Rotorua behind In A Trance and good runs prior.

"She's not very big but is very brave," Autridge said. "And I think she will continue to improve."

Her breeding suggests she may have a future over longer trips than Wednesday's 1600m. Her dam Megapins won the 2400m Wellington Cup in 2009 and all told, the Pins mare won seven races for her Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons.

Tavis Star's jockey, Michael Coleman, felt she deserved the win and handled the conditions well. The 1600m was run in 1:41.98.

Autridge will step into his role at the helm of Te Akau's training operation early next month, possibly as early next week, with current Te Akau racing manager Jamie Richards joining him as training partner.

Autridge began his first stint as Te Akau Racing trainer in 1992, taking over from Roger James and holding the position till 1997-98 when Mark Walker took up the reins.  In 2010, Walker, who runs Te Akau's Singapore stable, passed the baton on to current trainer Jason Bridgman, who has trained 280 winners for the operation, among them Gr I winners the likes of Rock 'n' Pop, King's Rose, Warhorse and Costa Viva.

"We are sorry to farewell Jason," Te Akau principal David Ellis said in a statement on Tuesday.

"He has been a very good trainer in his 4 1/2 years with us at Matamata.  We respect Jason's wish to spend more quality time with Stacey and their two children. Leading a successful stable is a demanding seven-day-a-week role. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Jason at some level which will be finalised in the weeks ahead."

Richards is an interesting addition to the training ranks and already has an excellent resume, having graduated university with a bachelor of marketing and accounting and post-graduate diploma in marketing before taking on a Sunline Scholarship and working around the world for global operations as diverse as Sir Michael Stoute, Coolmore Stud and Waikato Stud.

"I am really excited to welcome Stephen back to the Te Akau team. Stephen and Te Akau go back a long way and his outstanding record speaks for itself," Ellis said.

Autridge believes his new role "is too good an opportunity to turn down" and is looking forward to dealing with the operation's quality bloodstock.  Te Akau will add Autridge's barn on the Matamata training track to their operation "and my barn will be filled up with Te Akau and my own horses."