Andre Poutama having a season to remember

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Pukekohe based harness racing driver Andre Poutama looks to be heading for a PB this season and could reach 500 winners before season ends.

“Originally on the 1^st January my goal was to get to thirty by the first of April and I got to thirty four. The new goal is to hopefully get to 500 by the end of the year. You just have to have a goal, try and reach it and make it hard,” Poutama said.

The thirty four year old has been a regular feature in the Northern and Central Districts  harness racing scene since 2011. His interest in the sport was spurred at a young age.

“Dad used to help my uncle Stephen (Doody) when he was out at Ralphs (Kermodes). I got in the gig out there when I was three. I used to drive them back to the stables from the track at a young age, like you do.”

A particular horse that brings back fond memories for Andre is Mister DG. Doody won ten races with the Camtastic gelding before he furthered his career with Tim Butt in Australia.

“He was my favourite horse. I would have loved to have a steer on him but I was a bit young and he’d get a bit keen.”

The Poutama family moved back to Rakaia when Andre was nine and he got involved with greyhounds through Craig Roberts.

“I was good mates with Matt Roberts and I worked for him for a while. I used to fly up to Noddy’s during the school holidays. I got right into the dogs and was never really going to have a go at the horses. Then at one point I thought I might as well have a crack while I was young.”

Like all young drivers, Poutama was required to have a certain number of trials drives in order to get his junior licence so he went to Greg Payne’s for eighteen months.

“As soon as I got my licence I went back to Palmy.”

Poutama’s first winner was at Palmerston North in March 2011 driving Red Styx for his uncle Stephen Doody (aka Noddy).

“The first night she got scratched after she reversed into the running rail and bent the old cart.  My next drive was a first starter that Noddy got from down south and it galloped round the first bend because the hopples were too long. On the second day I drove Red Styx again and I think she drew twelve out of the thirteen runners. She ended up winning on my first drive that I actually got round. David Butcher turned around and congratulated me straight away which was a bit of buzz.”

During the off season when there was no racing at Manawatu, Poutama headed north and worked for Barry Purdon.

“I got friendly with Zac Butcher. It was quite good. You could just get the information off the likes of David and Zac and I got to know all those older drivers. I did a six month stint at Barry’s then I went back to Palmy for the race season.”

He had another three months at Purdon’s before heading south and working for Robbie Holmes.

“When I worked for Barry he had Pembrook Benny, Maxim, Our Sky Major and Cheer The Lady. You definitely got to see the good ones and the not so good ones.”

Of his 453 winning drives 143 have been at Cambridge and 138 at Manawatu.

“I’ve had a bit of luck there (Manawatu). It is a quick track and they still run time. You have to race handy but you can come from the back. But you need a turn of foot to pick them up.”

67 of his wins have been for Doody, 36 for Ray Green and 20 for Scott Dickson.

Matt Hickey has also been a good supporter of Poutama.

“He had a nice horse called Foray. Matt used to drive her and said it would be my drive one day but ‘don’t be late.’ He used to love that call ‘don’t be late.’ He doesn’t train them anymore. He owns Do You Want Me who’s trained by Tony Herlihy now. I drove him to win the Palmerstonian.”

Poutama represented New Zealand in the Australasian Young Drivers Series in 2014 and 2015 winning in 2014 and finishing runner up to Robbie Close in 2015.

“That was a great buzz and the first time I’d been to Aussie. I only won one race for the whole series, I just had placings. I remember talking to Zac Butcher about it before I left. He said have fun and drive them like you’re never going to drive them again. The last heat was at Menangle and as long as I didn’t finish last I was home. So I just hugged the fence. That was a great experience from where I’d come from. The next day I flew home to drive at Palmy.’

Andre has driven two Group One winners – Jo’s Dream and Shezsofast.

His first came with Jo’s Dream in the 2017 Rosslands Queen Of Hearts.

“That was a big buzz. She was a great wee mare without being one of the best. She had very good gate speed. She could really fire off the arm and put herself in a great position. I was lucky to get that drive. Sean Grayling moved to Australia and he got me on. I think his Dad owned a half share. They gave it to Amanda Kindie to train so that’s how I got on the horse. She trailed the trip. It ended up being a dead heat but I swear I still got there.”

Shezsofast’s Group One success came in the 2025 Caduceus Club Two Year Old Fillies Classic at Alexandra Park.

“That was great. She was just in the right frame of mind on the night. We led up and I was going to look for cover but by the time we got to the bell, Carter (Dalgety) came and Mark (Purdon) was three wide and I thought I’d just take my chances. She happened to be good enough on the night. That was the first Group One Phil (Fleming) had bred. I’d done a lot of Phil’s breaking in over the years. We’ve had a bit of luck and we sold one (Flybye Lou) for $150,000 a couple of years back”

Flybye Lou was a half sister to Kalua Flybye, the winner of eight.

“At the time Steven Reid tried to buy her. He said Flybye Lou was better than Coastal Babe. She ended up going to WA. She was the fastest horse I’ve trained. It’s a great bred but you just have to be careful because they get a bit hot, they never come back to you.”

She won both of her starts in Perth for Gary Hall senior.

“She broke down and is in foal to King Of Swing. He was a great horse that we broke in at Lincoln Farms when I was there. I happened to drive him the first day he was in the sulky. He was just a gentleman from day one.”

Poutama’s other feature wins have been in the Spring Cup with Northview Hustler for trainer Ray Green and the North Island Breeders Stakes driving Boudica for Tony Thomas.

Andrea is married to Amy who is also involved in the sport.

“She got her stable hands licence, had a little drive around the track and didn’t like it. She does all the stuff I don’t like to do.”

The couple who’ve lived in Pukekohe for the last ten years, have three children aged thirteen, ten and eight.

“The little one is interested. He doesn’t mind the horses.”

Poutama has also held a trainers licence since 2018 and has trained fifty winners. His biggest winners have been Desert Dawn (7) and Potter and Smokinhotcheddar (4).

He currently trains four horses out of boxes at Lincoln Farms including a Lather Up yearling he bought at the sales for $25,000.

He’s a half brother to Words the winner of six and is out of a Bettor’s Delight mare who’s a daughter of Oaxaca Lass.

“He did everything right which is a bonus. I’ve got a couple of break-ins owned by John Gommans and one that’s trialling at the moment for Lew Driver (Northview Cruncha) and a few out spelling. There are just no barns available round Puke. I’ve just got four boxes at Lincoln Farms.”

Northview Cruncha was bought by Driver at the 2024 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch for $20,000. He’s a half-brother to Northview Hustler who Poutama drove to win in the 2018 Spring Cup at Alexandra Park.

He also has a two year old half-sister by Bettor’s Delight to Kahlua Flybye named Bettor Flybye on his books. She’s qualified, but unraced.

These days Poutama works for Nathan Purdon in the morning and is a freelance driver.

“I’ve been lucky enough. I’ve been getting drives from everyone. I’ve been having a good run with the likes for Arna Donnelly. I had a great run over the winter last year with Scott Dickson and I still get a few drives off Noddy.”

Poutama no doubt has an affinity with the Manawatu, it’s track and the closely knit harness racing community that lives and races there.

“It all started in Palmy really and I just keep going back.”

And when asked to describe himself?

“Pretty patient – go with the flow.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink