Graham Richardson racks up 600 wins
Last Saturday Graham Richardson had one of those days that every trainer dreams about, when just about everything goes right and the world’s a lovely place.
From five starters on the day he won three races – two at Rotorua and one down south at Ashburton – and nor was there anything wrong with the efforts of the stable’s two non-winners.
Richie’s big day began in the third race at Rotorua when Sultry Assassin, having her first start since February, upset her more fancied rivals to hold out the favourite Thee Auld Floozie.
Snapshot was next to strike, also winning narrowly in his first outing for the season and remaining unbeaten after four starts.
Wet spring tracks kept Snapshot at home for several weeks and he made his longawaited reappearance with another impressive performance at Rotorua on the weekend.
The winning margin was only a neck but should have been considerably more if rider Craig Grylls had not let him coast the final 50 metres.
The partnership that races Snapshot includes Henrietta the Duchess of Bedford, who raced Snap with her late husband Robin, while others in the partnership are Richie McCaw and his 2011 Rugby World Cupwinning team-mate Ali Williams.
The big day for Richardson Racing was completed by the stable’s solitary runner at Ashburton, Strada Cavallo, who defied her maiden status with victory in the day’s feature, the Listed John Grigg Stakes.
Not only was it an ideal trial for the Alamosa filly’s big southern mission, the Gr. 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 100 Guineas at Riccarton next month, but it was also the 600th New Zealand win of Graham Richardson’s training career.