Belle En Rouge's win saw Richards call on his old South Island roots with southern jockey Jason Laking giving the filly the perfect ride and looming at the 300m to beat Self Obsession, who raced outside the leader for the 2400m and was left a sitting duck.
For all Te Akau's buying power at the yearling sales, Belle En Rouge is a filly that bosses David and Karyn Ellis bred themselves, by a stallion Te Akau raced in Burgundy.
Imperatriz was too fast for the boys in the Levin Classic, aided by a beautiful Michael McNab ride that saw her settle in the one-one, and with the 1600m being run just outside even time, her acceleration was too instantaneous.
After the dream day, Richards was keen to share the praise, thanking Te Akau staff for not dropping their standards as Covid has played havoc with the racing industry.
"We are very lucky we have such great staff who have kept up their professionalism while there has been plenty of chopping and changing in the racing industry with travel, jockeys and a lot of other things," said Richards.
"So I've been very lucky in that regard the entire time I've been at Te Akau."
Richards, 32, will hand over the stable to Walker on April 1 but he and his jockey partner Danielle Johnson are unlikely to head to Hong Kong until May because of the Covid-19 resurgence there.
He will leave New Zealand with a Hall Of Famer's career — three premierships, big-race triumphs and more than $30 million in prize-money — at an age when most trainers are only considering starting their own business, and while he has the tools to be hugely successful in Hong Kong, racing fans will be hoping he returns.
They could be waiting a while.
