Police officer-turned-trainer Noel Richards arrests 24-year losing run

Australian trainer Noel Richards celebrated his first winner in 24 years, his first success since retiring from his work for the police.

Richards first gained his passion for horses having spent eight years in the mounted division of Victoria Police. He then held a training licence for 25 years before then stopping in December 1997 to return to the police force.

After retiring, he had first runner again in March 2016 but it took until Tuesday to return to the winner's enclosure at Ballarat with Niamh Chinn Oir.

Richards, 73, had run three horses with 14 winless efforts between them since returning. But his $8,800 purchase obliged on her fourth run for the yard, striking at odds of 25-1.

Richards told Racing.com after the win: "I think the bottle of Glenfiddich, 12 years old, will be out tonight, or maybe the Chivas Regal that the other part-owner bought me for Christmas.

"I had my licence for about 25 years earlier in the piece and I gave it away because I had a job and I couldn't do the horse justice. I thought I better take this up again because I retired."

It was his first winner since November 1996, when Captain Shillalae won at Dunkeld. Coincidentally, Niamh Chinn Oir is another key horse for Richards with an Irish name.

"I've got this thing about Irish horses," he added. "I didn't know how she'd [Niamh Chinn Oir] handle this [track], but I brought her here today because she'd won on the Pakenham synthetic."

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