It’s only early days, but trainer Jamie Richards is keen to keep his “quite incredible” start to the season going after saluting with each of his past four runners to reel off consecutive doubles.

With a steady stream of horses leaving his stable and winners hard to come by, Richards endured a character-building 2024-25 season the trainer himself has labelled a “shocker”.

After some off-season changes headlined by a move from the Olympic stables to the main Sha Tin complex and the arrival of Ben So Tik-hung as assistant trainer, Richards sits at the top of the premiership and is enjoying every minute of his change in fortunes.

“It’s quite incredible really. I couldn’t see that coming. I was reasonably confident that Groovy Feeling and Bulb General would run well and Storming Dragon was going well, but it was a welcome surprise that To Infinity won,” Richards said of his four winners so far from just seven runners, the latter of whom saluted at $35 on Wednesday night.

“We’ve certainly had a bit of luck and some good rides with some nice horses who were in good form at the end of last season. That’s what I’d put it down to at the moment. Everything has been going smoothly.

“Ben has been a welcome addition – he’s really good with the staff and good with the owners.

“It was a pretty tough season last year and we didn’t have much fun, but I’m happy with how it’s started and long may it continue.”

Richards, who is striking at a remarkable 57 per cent this term, heads to Sha Tin on Sunday with eight runners as he pursues a third straight brace.

He will be looking to strike while the iron is hot with Groovy Feeling, who tackles the Class Four Tung Wah Group Of Hospitals Challenge Cup (1,200m) seven days after saluting under Zac Purton at the same course and distance.

“Groovy Feeling has backed up well,” said Richards. “He’s a horse who has a good appetite and he licked the bowl clean on Sunday night, so I just thought that maybe early in the season while everybody is still getting ready off trials and he’s already had a run, it might be a good time to see if he can handle the backup.

“We were able to get Zac and he’s got a nice draw [in two], so hopefully he can run well again off his rating increase.”

Richards also expects strong showings from Jubilant Winner in the first section of the Class Four Lok Wah Handicap (1,200m) and The All Out in the Class Three Mei Tung Handicap (1,000m).

Twice successful down the Sha Tin straight in Griffin grade to open his career, The All Out could only manage a last-start 10th at Happy Valley in a race in which not much went right.

“I think Jubilant Winner is going along quite well but that’s a pretty strong race – Tourbillon Golfer will be hard to beat – and The All Out should put up a good performance down the straight,” said Richards.

“The All Out’s trials have just been OK, but I don’t think he ever trials very well on the all-weather and I’m looking forward to getting him back on the turf.

“There’s chances there. I don’t know how long the run will continue, but hopefully it does.”

Richards also sends around Colonel, The Way We Win, Strongest Boy, Big Stride and Camp Land this weekend.