Eyes on Premiership as Table-Toppers Hit Century

Dennis Ryan of The Informant reports:

The Stephen Autridge-Jamie Richards partnership notched a milestone century in their first full season training together when Esprit de Corps strolled home at Te Aroha yesterday - and now their eyes are fixed firmly on the trainers' premiership.

Autridge and Richards have been at the helm of Te Akau Racing only since May last year, but have quickly proven the synergy of their partnership with an outstanding season. Their century is the third for Te Akau following two achieved by Mark Walker among his five trainers' titles before he established a premiership-winning stable in Singapore.

Autridge has tasted premiership success from his time training alongside Graeme Rogerson, but for Richards, who graduated from racing manager to trainer little more than a year ago, it is a whole new experience.

“It's been a fantastic season of milestones, the result of a lot of hard work from everyone in the team,” Richards told www.theinformant.co.nz today. “The premiership has been the goal and we're still travelling strong with a few wet track prospects for the final weeks.”

Esprit de Corps' Te Aroha win has put the partnership seven clear of defending champions Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, who Richards acknowledges are rivals who will not concede without a fight.

“We're taking nothing for granted,” he said. “The job's not finished and it's going to be a tough battle, but we're up for it.”