Richards To Take Over For Te Akau

[Wandering Eyes]

New Zealand’s Te Akau Racing will soon rely on Jamie Richards to lead their training operation with the news that former senior training partner Stephen Autridge is planning to step down from his role. Autridge has lead the team to significant success over the past few years, including with multiple Group 1 and Classic winner Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and has decided to alter his work life balance more towards spending time with his family.

“Together Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have been a potent partnership,” Te Akau boss David Ellis told Racing And Sports on Sunday. “In three years, they have won a premiership, been named champion trainers and have recorded 42 group and listed race successes together, including 13 at Group One level. Stephen is as good a horseman as you will ever meet, and it’s been a very successful and happy association. We will miss him and [wife] Lynley greatly but naturally we respect their desire to take life a little easier,” Ellis added.

In a training career spanning over 25 years in both Australia and New Zealand, Stephen Autridge has trained close to 1,000 winners and his association with Te Akau traces back to 1987 when he first joined the stud. “This is a natural progression and a very positive one to my mind. For us it is time to step back from leading a major stable. We want to spend more time enjoying our family and our leisure time,” Autridge said.

Jamie Richards joined Te Akau Racing in 2014 as racing manager and became part of the training partnership with Stephen Autridge a year later. The 28-year-old will take over the baton on August 1 and he commented, “I would like to thank Steve Autridge. As he was to Mark Walker, he has been a great mentor to me throughout our partnership. I have learnt a lot from him and am hugely grateful for that guidance. We have had a great three seasons together and while I am sad to see our partnership end, I am also incredibly excited about the future. To lead the Te Akau NZ operation is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s a dream come true and I can’t wait for the new season.”

 

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