Every reason for Richards to be optimistic
Dennis Ryan - Raceform • September 18th, 2025 2:38 PM
A flying start to the new Hong Kong season and other favourable portents have turned around the fortunes of champion New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards after a dismal time during the previous 12 months.
Winning doubles at each of the first two race meetings of 2025-26 and another win at Sha Tin last Sunday have given Richards an early lead on the trainers’ premiership. That’s in stark contrast to last season, when he followed a debut season total of 35 wins in 2023-24 with just 22 last season to finish 18th of the 22 trainers licensed to the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
While his five wins in the first two weeks of the season are no guarantee of continuing success, the four-time New Zealand trainers’ premiership winner is understandably upbeat at what the future holds in the world’s toughest racing jurisdiction.
“It’s a great start, particularly off the back of a tough and disappointing season when not much went right,” Richards said when RaceForm touched base with him earlier this week. “We might be a bit light on starter numbers over the next little while, but what’s happened over the past couple of weeks has created a solid platform. It’s been a real boost for everyone and a reward for all the hard work that took place during the off-season.”
Richards can’t put an exact finger on the sharp turnaround, but places much of it down to his new assistant trainer Ben So rather than the move from the Olympic stables his team occupied in his first two seasons to the main Sha Tin stable complex.
“Having Ben on board has made a big difference. He’s a former jockey who came to me at the end of last season after stints with David Hayes and Danny Shum, plus he travelled with Romantic Warrior, so he has an excellent range of experiences.
“Obviously he speaks the language here, which is a big help to me when engaging with owners, and he’s very organised, which the staff respond to, and he understands the finer points of programming and placing the horses.”
Richards admits that coming to grips with local systems is a work in progress, pointing to examples such as race entries being governed by the range of trainers being catered for rather than each horse’s rating.
“It took me 12 to 18 months to get my head around it and I’m still learning, but alongside Ben I’m getting the hang of it and now it’s about building relationships.
“Hong Kong is such a competitive place. On the one hand you’ve got owners with money who can afford to buy quality, but at the same time you’ve still got to buy the right horse.”
Volatility that they have no direct control over is also a part of every trainer’s lot in Hong Kong, most significantly in the way that horses change stables and something that Richards is only too familiar with.
“I was very spoilt during my time at Te Akau with the structures and supply of quality horses there, and believe me, 50 stable transfers in 18 months can be pretty hard to take. But that’s what happens here, it’s something that you just have to live with at the same time as trying to do your best with every horse in the stable.”
Having made such a strong start to the season, Richards is intent on keeping the ball rolling, with the likes of recent winner Bulb General prominent in his plans. The Cambridge Stud-bred son of Richards’ 2017 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Embellish from the Fastnet Rock mare Stylish Achiever was selected by his trainer and Sydney-based agent Andrew Williams at $175,000 from Book 1 of the 2023 National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
“He finished third in his first start but was then held up by a colic attack, but he bounced back well to win at the tail-end of the old season and then again last week. I liked the way he quickened at the end of 1200 metres, so we’ll keep him ticking over and hope he keeps improving.
“He’ll need to if he’s going to match others coming through, but I’d like to think that if he does, the four-year-old series and the Classic Mile is a logical target.”
With current stable numbers standing at 48, Richards is waiting with guarded expectation as to what the immediate future holds. As well as the possibility of further talent coming his way, he plans to attend the Karaka Ready to Run Sale in November and be back in his homeland for Karaka 2026.
Something of a bonus has come in the form of three recruits owned by New Zealanders benefiting from the new Hong Kong Jockey Club initiative to enable international owners to participate in racing there.
“Red Sea is a talented four-year-old owned by Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay that’s just been confirmed to come here and race in the Cambridge Stud colours. As well as him, Sir Peter Vela has sent All Too Brave, the winner of his only start in January, and I’ve got Matzden, who won at Ellerslie in May, that’s going to race for Greg Tomlinson.
“I trained for all three ownership groups back in New Zealand, so I’m looking forward to having the old firm back in action.”
Richards’ most obvious link to his homeland is his parents Paul and Leanne and sister Libby, who through their Matamata operation play their part in developing horses ahead of their Hong Kong careers.
Most important of all – especially when the chips are down – is the solace of his partner, former champion jockey Danielle Johnson and their two infant children, Spencer and Ellie.
“Spencer will be two in December and Ellie is coming up 10 weeks old,” says their proud father. “Danielle has been rock solid all they way through, she’s a wonderful mother and provides great support for me when things might not be going to plan.
“With all four of our parents and close family back home we don’t have that day-to-day support, so living up here can have its challenges, but it’s been great for both of us to be supported by a solid network of friends.
“This is a fantastic opportunity that we’ve been given by the Jockey Club, and while it hasn’t been easy at times, it’s something that we’re determined to make the most of.”
