Te Akau Stars on Return Route

Aided by his stable stars, Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards had an incredible season, as it draws to a close on 31 July.

He has produced 84 individual winners to win 161 races (157 NZ - 4 Aust.), leads the training premiership by nearly double that of second, and won $5.9m in domestic prize money.

In January, Richards completed the fastest training century in New Zealand, bettering the previous record by nearly three months. February saw the young trainer break the domestic stakes record of 25 in a season, and in April he broke the national record of wins (143) in a season.

Richards ranks ninth in the TRC Global Trainer Rankings and Te Akau Syndicates 15^thin the TRC Global Owner Rankings.

In a phenomenal achievement, Richards established a new stakes' wins record of 40, with victories in the: Northland Breeders' Stakes, Foxbridge Plate, Gold Trail Stakes, Bill Ritchie Handicap, Windsor Park Plate, Epsom Handicap, Livamol Classic, Barneswood Farm Stakes, Sarten Memorial, Welcome Stakes, 1000 Guineas, Counties Cup, Uncle Remus Stakes, Eight Carat Classic, Eclipse Stakes, City of Auckland Cup, Railway, Wellesley Stakes, Telegraph, Almanzor Trophy, Karaka Million 2YO, Concorde Handicap, Thorndon Mile, Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes, BCD Group Sprint, David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic, Futurity Stakes, Waikato Stud Slipper, Otaki Weight-For-Age Classic, Mufhasa Stakes, King's Plate, Sunline Vase, Sistema Stakes, Bonecrusher Stakes, Wellington Guineas, New Zealand Oaks, Sires' Produce Stakes, Manawatu Breeders' Stakes, NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes, and Anzac Mile.

Among those to achieve the feats, Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Probabeel (Savabeel), Amarelinha (Savabeel), Entriviere (Tavistock), Kahma Lass (Darci Brahma), Brando (Savabeel), Need I Say More (No Nay Never), On the Bubbles (Brazen Beau), Sword of State (Snitzel), and Savy Yong Blonk (Savabeel), are back in work and gearing up for spring racing.

As far as a loose agenda, Richards said, Avantage, who won five group one races in 2020/21, would prepare for the Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m) and Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400m).

“Maybe Avantage could then go to the Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m), and I'm not sure whether we may then look at a race like the Empire Rose Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) in November at Flemington”, he said.

Trial events on 20 July at Cambridge, and 3 August at Taupo, have been earmarked for Probabeel, Amarelinha, Entriviere, Kahma Lass, Brando, and On the Bubbles.

“Probabeel, she'll probably trial and head back over to Australia. I've got no firm plans for her as yet, but Brendan and Jo (Lindsay) are keen on aiming her towards the Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m).”

[caption id="attachment_44697" align="alignnone" width="747"] Probabeel  wins the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse on 20 February 2021 at Caulfield[/caption]

“Amarelinha came back in great shape and I'm really happy with her,” Richards said. “She's a Group One (Oaks) winner over a mile and a half, and we'll have to work out where she fits in. There are targets in both New Zealand and Australia for her.

“Amarelinha is quite highly rated, given the three-year-old season she's had, and you have to be mindful with four-year-old mares that it is a difficult time coming out of age group races and having to step up against the big boys.”

“Entriviere has no real plans as yet, but, like we are for most of these horses, waiting on calendars for Melbourne, and Sydney. There are a lot of suitable fillies and mares races for her in Australia. We would like to make use of her ratings in the handicaps, rather than go straight to weight-for-age.”

“Kahma Lass has returned in good shape and we're pleased with her. We'll bring her along quietly, much like Amarelinha, and the spring is not an easy time for four-year-old mares. We'll chip away and see where we end up with her.”

“We are pleased with Brando. Obviously, we are trying to get a group one win with him to cement a home at stud. He's come back in good order.”

“Need I Say More, what a great job this season, winning five stakes races, which is incredible. We may give him a quiet spring, no rush, and he could well be a Telegraph (Gr. 1, 1200m) type horse. There are plenty of nice races for him. I'm not sure, as yet, whether we may kick him off in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m).”

“We've got On the Bubbles pencilled in for the Northland Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m), and races like the El Roca (Listed, 1200m) and Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr. 2, 1400m), those sorts of races, leading into the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m). He seems to have strengthened and looks good.”

“Sword of State, everything has gone according to plan with him. He spelled really well and we'll bring him along quietly. The goal with him is to win a Group One with him in Australia, having already won one in New Zealand, and cement his place at stud.”

“Savy Yong Blonk has just arrived back at the stables and we'll get her ready for the Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m) at Hastings. She'll more than likely be bred in the spring, but we would love to notch a Group One win with her.”