Formidable Record

The Informant writes:

Jamie Richards made the most of a brief respite from his day job with Te Akau Racing when he rode Highly Likely to victory in the amateur riders' event at today's Te Aroha race meeting.

Having his first raceday ride since winning on Dane Ruler at Oamaru in August 2011, Richards took his amateur rider's record to four wins from seven rides as Highly Likely fought off late finishers Chloe Keeper (Michael Gibbs-Manssen) and Tom's Myth (Rebecca Goldsbury) by a short neck and a nose.

“I got a nice run through and things were looking good when he hit the lead and went a couple of lengths clear with 100 metres to go, but then he started to knock off and look around,” Richards said. “I had to work for the win and we got there, but I don't if I or the horse was blowing harder.”

Richards, the son of Wingatui trainer and former jockey Paul Richards - a member of the 1,000 winners club - has had an interesting life since his previous amateur win nearly three years ago. In early 2012 as the lucky recipient of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association's Sunline Scholarship.

That took him on a northern hemisphere work and study tour engaging with major bloodstock operations in England, Ireland and the United States. On his return to New Zealand Richards worked for New Zealand Bloodstock before taking a position with Waikato Stud.

Earlier this year he was appointed racing manager for David Ellis's Te Akau Racing operation, a wide brief that begins with morning trackwork and extends to inspecting likely prospects for Te Akau's Matamata and Kranji stables, communicating with clients and being involved in race programming decisions.

Richards, who graduated from the University of Otago with degrees in commerce and marketing, is relishing the opportunities offered by his role with Te Akau.

“I'm only a young fella trying to make it in an exciting industry, but I'm really enjoying what I'm doing,” says the 24-year-old.”David is a fantastic boss who is happy to give me responsibilities and I'm relishing the chance to be involved at that level.”

Richards is also keeping his feet on the ground as far as his race riding is concerned, but he may be in for a quick back-up, with his father likely to have a prospect for him in the amateur race at next Thursday's Wingatui meeting.

“I've made no plans yet, but that would be good to get down home for a day or two, otherwise it's business as usual. It was just good today to hop on one of our own horses and get the win.”

High Chaparral three-year-old Highly Likely was an $80,000 David Ellis purchase at the 2012 South Island Two-Year-Old Sale and races in the Fortuna Syndicate colours.

“That was only his second start today and there's plenty of upside in him,” said Richards. “He's still a long way off full maturity; he's nowhere near a finished article.”