Richards could take additional satisfaction from the win as he was instrumental in the purchase of Natuzzi for Mosgiel owners Bill and Sandra Duell.
The Duells bought Natuzzi last May after he had been placed in two trials for Riccarton trainer Ross Beckett. He had bought the horse for $9000 at the 2010 South Island sale.
"I watched videos of his trials and rode him in work and we got him vetted and the purchase was made," Richard said.
Natuzzi, who won first up at Cromwell late in November, has won three of his six starts. He has not finished further back than fifth.
Richards will assess the condition of Natuzzi before deciding on his programme.
"I will see how he is over the next few days and I might spell him. He still has a bit of maturing to do."
Richards became acquainted with Bill Duell through Ubet Too. Duell was in the syndicate which won a race with Ubet Too at Ashburton in 2006. The nine-person syndicate won all-expenses-paid shares in Ubet Too to race the horse for 12 months. The shares came from a competition organised by the Otago Daily Times and the TAB when launching the newspaper racing tabloid, U-Bet, in 2005.
The Duells subsequently won races with Reconcile, Lucrative and Hernandez (this season) from the Richards stable.
Richards included the 1996 Southland Guineas on The Grin among his 1078 wins as a jockey.
He retired from race riding in 2004 to concentrate on training at Wingatui.
He has won the Great Western Steeplechase at Riverton with Jamie's Chance (2007) and Last Frisco (2008). That race had a stake of $53,000 when Jamie's Chance was successful.
Natuzzi was ridden on Saturday by Chris Johnson, who has also won the Southland Guineas on New Wine (1987), Grey Raider (1991) and Covered N' Grey (1996).
Natuzzi is by Coats Choice, who is making an impression as a sire with his oldest New Zealand progeny 4yr-olds. He is the sire of Milo (Dunedin and Southland Guineas), No Choice (listed New Zealand Bloodstock Stakes at Wingatui), B Choice (a first-up winner in Hong Kong) and Hassle Free, a winner at Ellerslie on Saturday. Hassle Free is a sister to St Mark, a winner earlier in the season.
Both are out of the Hadaad mare Cruella.
Natuzzi, bred by Stewart McGiffert, of Otaio, is the second foal of Monsanto, a Kilimanjaro mare.
Gargamel, who had only won a maiden race in 12 starts before Saturday, prevailed in the $25,000 Invercargill Gold Cup.
He is trained by Leda Beck, who races the 5yr-old with Jason Spencer, the recently appointed racing manager for Gallop South in Invercargill.
Beck (as McNeilly) and Spencer are both former jockeys.
Spencer won the 1987 Riverton Cup on Joe Ninety.
They bred Gargamel, the first foal of the Hadaad mare, Tsiblento, who won them five races, including an open 1600m at Riverton. Gargamel is her first foal. Gargamel is by Sunray, winner of the 2003 New Zealand St Leger (2500m) and Rotorua Challenge Plate (1900m).
Beck is married to Winton harness racing trainer Allan Beck, whose father, Bob, trained Snow Boy to win the 1972 Invercargill Cup.
