“I used to love being a jockey and now training is my passion”

From the prominent Jolly racing family in Adelaide, Richard learned much of his trade from his father Peter. Richard is a popular and well- respected member of the racing community in South Australia and has made his mark on racing in the state with some excellent strike rates.

Starting his jockey apprenticeship at the age of 14, winning the leading apprentice in 88/89 and runner up in 89/90. Richard enjoyed a distinguished career in Adelaide as a jockey for over 14 years winning over 800 races. During that time he tasted Group 1 success by riding the winner of the Perth Cup on a horse called Saratov and later rode it in the Melbourne Cup. Richard was always amongst the upper echelon of riders in South Australia.

Richard started training horses in August 2000 having retired from racing as a leading heavyweight jockey in January 2000. Since this time Richard has had a great deal of success finishing consistently in the top group of trainers from year to year, a real achievement in such a competitive industry.

Richard is a horse trainer who rides his own horses in track work - a task from which he derives much pleasure and inside knowledge. This provides the stable with a unique advantage over other stables in that it can not only set horses  for specific campaigns but has a trainer in place who can ride and report back on a horse's progress on the track. 

Richard trains a team of 30 horses in full work at any one time and is domiciled in stables within a furlong of the Morphettville race track. He believes in working closely with all horses in order to place them at the best advantage. (picture right)Richard riding at early morning track work