"The first thing you should learn in horse racing is don't get carried away with success," says Stephen Autridge.
He learned that lesson very early when, barely out of his apprenticeship, he was associated with a true champion 3-year-old in Altitude. The world was Altitude's oyster after winning the 2000 Guineas by seven lengths and he had the Derby at Ellerslie at his mercy when he suffered a massive heart attack 250m out and died in front of a huge crowd.
Pot holes appear with no warning in this game and Stephen Autridge takes every win quietly and waits nervously for the next one.
"We might never again experience a week like we've just had," he says.
With talents like Xtravagant, Risque and Sassy 'N' Smart to work with you wouldn't be betting against it happening.
Risque's win was astounding. She jumped out first, but was steadied by Matt Cameron then got shuffled back further than pre-race plans had included. The filly has a long stride and Cameron took the right option when he pulled her into the clear early to the middle of the track in the home straight even though it might not have looked pretty.
When Risque let down the sprint she produced was phenomenal given the slow early pace that should not have suited back runners.
Autridge was not surprised. "She's very light on her feet." And if you think that was brilliant, the filly's trainers say there is a lot of improvement to come.
"When I first saw her she was leggy and light and I felt she wasn't going to strengthen in time to get her to the races you'd have liked to see her in like the 1000 Guineas. Rick Williams [manager for the owner, The Oaks Stud] always liked her and he took her home for a break.
"In something like six weeks she put on 40kg.
"But she's still in primer class. There is a lot more to come and I'm thinking forward to the Oaks. She relaxes so beautifully. She is Filly Of The Year material."
The training partners agree they threw Sassy 'N' Smart in the deep end taking her to Christchurch for Saturday's $50,000 Welcome Stakes.
"She'd had only the one trial then she did a few things wrong when she won on debut, but she measured up on Saturday," says Richards.
Stephen Autridge is excited. "I identified her early as a [Matamata] Breeders Stakes type and she's shaping that way." It's a race Autridge has won three times and after the way the filly put them away in the closing stages on Saturday, that number should soon be four.
"She is another that's still learning." Jamie Richards, 26, is the son of former southern trainer Paul Richards, now training in Auckland in partnership with Dawn and Peter Williams.
"Originally I wanted to be a jockey, but my mother is tall and I got too heavy to ride. My parents said you'd better get yourself an education and you can come back to horses if you want to."
That path was followed and Richards later worked for New Zealand Bloodstock at the Karaka sales, for Waikato Stud and was racing manager for Te Akau before joining the Te Akau training partnership."
That partnership will be gold.
"Being young, Jamie has an enormous memory, he's a quick thinker and is very efficient." said Autridge.
"He's a great back-up."
Jamie Richards has his name alongside another black type race winner, Windborne, who took out the Canterbury Belle Stakes in September.
Windborne is owned by John Galvin's Fortuna Bloodstock.
