When reality Bites

[Huey]

 

Huge reality check for anyone coming off the comfort zone of training for TA in NZ, a good honest assessment.

https://www.ttrausnz.com.au/edition/2023-07-21/hong-kong-is-a-very-difficult-place-to-win-races-richards-baptism-of-fire

[Chief Stipe]

Racing in Hong Kong is widely regarded as the toughest jurisdiction in the world and many top jockeys and trainers have gone there with big reputations, only to head home with their tails between their legs. But past glories count for little and if you’re not winning, you’re not popular, More often than not, it’s that simple.

New Zealand-born trainer Jamie Richards has just completed his first season in Hong Kong and he admitted a slow start had him, at times, wondering if he would be able to make the grade.

“It was pretty different to what I expected and pretty challenging at the start,” he told TTR AusNZ. “We were going no good at all the first few months and the runners that we had were all pretty disappointing, so you start to second-guess yourself, no doubt.”

Jamie Richards | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Richards said the steep learning curve, while tough at the time, will hold him in good stead.

“I don’t think we had them fit enough, we didn’t trial them enough. We did what most people did with them in the morning, but we were missing a few key aspects and that was quite challenging,” he commented.

“It certainly took a little while to get our head around it.

“You’ve just got to make sure that you’re doing the small things right; feeding them properly, working them enough, keeping them happy and healthy, putting them in the right race and getting the right jockeys.”

Richards led home his first winner on October 12 and it was provided by Handsome Rebel (Denman) - a horse he trained in New Zealand in partnership with Stephen Autridge.

Handsome Rebel | Image courtesy of Raymond Ho

He finished the season with 35 wins, with his stable amassing more than HK$36 million (AU$6.7 million / NZ$7.3 million) in prizemoney. He finished 12th in the Trainers’ Premiership and his strike rate of 10 per cent is similar to John Size (12 per cent), Francis Lui (13 per cent), Frankie Lor (11 per cent), Ricky Yiu (11 per cent) and Tony Cruz (nine per cent) - the top five trainers of 2022/23.

“It’s certainly been a challenging year, but Hong Kong is a very difficult place to win races. It’s some of the most competitive racing in the world,” Richards remarked.

“It’s certainly been a challenging year, but Hong Kong is a very difficult place to win races. It’s some of the most competitive racing in the world.” - Jamie Richards

“The scene is very different, you’ve got to get out and socialise; that’s a big part of it, going out for meals and meeting prospective owners for coffee. Building relationships and trying to acquire good-quality stock is a major part of the business.

“Thankfully, we’ve got a good team of staff around us, good work riders and my assistant trainer has been very good.

“I think we’ve done okay, certainly a pass mark, but room for improvement.”

The Kiwi was full of praise for Hong Kong’s premier jockey, Australian Zac Purton, who claimed his sixth title in 2022/23 and broke Joao Moreira’s single-season mark for winners. Purton, who made the move to Hong Kong in 2007, finished with 179 wins for the term.

 

“The jockeys’ feedback is very important and Zac has been a good ally, he’s given me a lot of help in trying to understand how to go about it, where to race your horses. He’s also very good with the trials and he just understands how it all works, so he’s been a big help,” Richards said.

“Building the relationship with him has been important for the success of the stable, and we’ve built up good relationships with other riders as well; Vincent Ho’s ridden a few winners for us - we spread it around and use quite a few jockeys.”

Purton may have been a great sounding board, but Richards said his fellow trainers haven’t been as forthcoming with advice. There’s little room for that, it’s every man for himself.

“Because it’s so competitive, they don’t go out of their way to help you, that’s just the nature of the game. They don’t want to give the new kid on the block too many pointers, you’ve got to work it out yourself. In saying that, we all get along well,” he said.

“Because it’s so competitive, they (trainers) don’t go out of their way to help you, that’s just the nature of the game.” - Jamie Richards

Next season

Richards, who is currently recharging the batteries by holidaying in Bali, is confident he will be a better trainer next season and is looking forward to the new campaign.

“I’m sure we will understand the systems better and understand how it all works,” said Richards.

He has been active at the sales in 2023 and will head to Australia and New Zealand for the Ready to Run Sales later in the year.

“We’ve got to believe that our new horses coming in can lift the bar for us, we’ve got some nice ones there so I’m confident they can,” Richards explained.

“We’ve got to believe that our new horses coming in can lift the bar for us, we’ve got some nice ones there so I’m confident they can.” - Jamie Richards

“We’re slowly but surely getting there, we’ve bought a few nice PPG horses (Privately Purchased Griffins - a horse which is imported to Hong Kong unraced) out of Australia in recent months and we’re looking forward to them arriving.

“The owners are supporting us, which is good.”

Richards also has one of Hong Kong’s best sprinters joining the stable.

“Wellington has just got out of quarantine (after his failed trip to Royal Ascot). We’re just going to give him a few easy weeks and let him get over the travel,” said Richards.

“He’ll probably have a few weeks off and then we’ll build him up from there.”

 

Wellington (All Too Hard) is a four-time Group 1 winner with earnings of HK$63,526,190 (AU$11.9 million / NZ$12.9 million). He joins Richards’ Olympic Stables after being transferred from Richard Gibson.

“He’s obviously getting a bit older, but he looks to be in good order. Hopefully, he can still find his form,” the trainer added.

“The sprinting ranks are very competitive; Lucky Sweynesse looks like the next big gun, but hopefully he still has a couple of good races in him.

“It’s an exciting addition and it’s an honour to train a horse of his quality.”

“It’s an exciting addition and it’s an honour to train a horse of his (Wellington’s) quality.” - Jamie Richards

Keep an eye on the Capitalists

Owners and trainers in Hong Kong gravitate to stallions when they get on a roll… you only need to look at Deep Field, Starspangledbanner, Per Incanto (USA) and Toronado (Ire) for proof of that.

Newgate Farm resident Capitalist has a huge future in Hong Kong, according to Richards, and he has a few of his progeny that he is excited about.

“Capitalist is doing a good job, they seem to eat well and they adjust well to the rigours of being in Hong Kong,” said Richards.

Capitalist | Standing at Newgate Farm

“They’re fast horses and they handle firm ground.

“I think Capitalist is certainly a horse that’s only going to get better and become more popular.

“We’ve got a horse called Capital Theatre who’s come up, he should be winning in the early part of the season after a few trials, he looks pretty fast.

“There’s another nice Capitalist horse coming up that we paid a bit of money for.”

[Chief Stipe]

4 hours ago, Huey said:

Huge reality check for anyone coming off the comfort zone of training for TA in NZ, a good honest assessment.

 

Surely not?  According to some online commentators Richards is going fantastic.  Contrary to the article there is a big difference between a 10% and a 13% win rate.  That's a 30% difference plus Richards strike rate for placings is a lot lower than the leading trainers.

I'm not knocking Richards - just those exaggerating how fantastic he is going.

I believe Mark Walker will be more competitive in OZ for TA than Richards would have been given Mark's overseas experience.

I've said it before I don't see Richards being long term in Hong Kong particularly if he intends to have a young family.  Not the nicest places to live.