Te Akau's Champion Trainers

The Informant reports:

In addition to their premiership titles, last season's leading trainers, jockey, apprentice jockey and jumps jockey were all honoured with awards at the Thoroughbred Horse of the Year dinner at the Langham Hotel in Auckland this evening.

Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards picked up the Dunstan Trainer of the Year Award. In their first full season training together, and Richards' first full season as a licence-holder, the pair racked up 104 wins from 553 starters. They won 10 Group and Listed races, including four at Group One level.

"It's a big team effort," Richards said. "We've got great staff and great owners, many of whom are here tonight to celebrate this with us."

Autridge admitted he had considered a change of career before the Te Akau juggernaut came calling.

"There was a time when I was thinking about doing something else - I was going to be a freezing worker," he said. "But racing is my passion and I'm grateful to David Ellis for giving me the opportunity."

Jamie Richards becomes the youngest trainer ever in New Zealand racing to win a Trainers' Premeirship and Trainer of the Year title - taking over that honour from Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker who achieved his honour at 31 - Richards is 26.

In a close finish to the season, Autridge and Richards edged out last year's premiership winners and Dunstan Trainers of the Year Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman by five wins.