Paul Howlett - Young breeder

Despite uncertain times, Paul Howlett, Canterbury blacksmith, breeder and owner, remains positive about harness racing’s future.

“I leave it to the people that get paid well. I just worry about putting shoes on horses and getting young people into the game. I just love going to the races with my mates and having a few beers when you win a race. It’s pretty special,” he says.

Forty eight year old Australian born Howlett moved to New Zealand when he was sixteen and worked for Barry Purdon for three and a half years.

He held a junior driver’s licence for seven years and from a handful of drives he drove one winner, Classic Line for Phil Burrows, at Addington in April 2006.

“I decided I wasn’t good enough. So I gave up and became a farrier.”

The now Canterbury based blacksmith shoes for some big stables; Robert and Jenna Dunn, Regan Todd, Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, Ken Barron and Hayden and Amanda Cullen.

“We shoe between eighty and a hundred a week.”

Although he’s warming to it now, he says he hasn’t always been interested in breeding.

“In the last few years with all the incentives, we got a mare. We’ve had a couple out of her which we’ve raced with mates and it’s been quite successful really.”

Not one to stand still and forever the promoter of our sport, Howlett has shares in fifteen horses.

“We’re having a bit of a crack. All the people (trainers) that support me, we always try to look after them with a horse, or take shares in horses to help them out.”

Horses he has an interest in are Dash Dosh (Tom Bagrie), The River Boy (Bob Butt), Sugar Maguire (Cran and Chrissie Dalgety), Gunslinger Willy (Robert and Jenna Dunn) and Hoof It Hagrid (Robert and Jenna Dunn).

“We’ve got a couple of gallopers, two broodmares and four two year olds, so we’ve got a bit going on.”

Married with three children, Howlett has an interest in five broodmares – Isla Elsie, Navy Hill, Indee Marie, Bonnie Bagrie and Minnie Jane.

Howlett and trainer Hayden Cullen are breeding from Navy Hill this spring. She won one race from just three starts and is by What The Hill and out of Classic Armbro – a daughter of Merinai.

Bonnie Bagrie, a nine win Majestic Son mare, is also well bred. Her second dam is fourteen win race mare Solar Fire whose wins included the Group One Victoria Trotters Oaks, Group One Victoria Trotters Derby, New Zealand Trotting Derby, Northern Trotting Derby and New Zealand Trotting Championship.

Minnie Jane (Sundon) won one for Jonny Cox and at stud has left Isla Elsie (Majestic Son) the winner of three, and The River Boy (Creatine) which has won five. At stud she has left Bonnie Bella, a King Of The North yearling filly.

“Regan Todd trains her (Bonnie Bella). She’s just finished her third preparation and she’s trotting round really nice.”

Isla Elsie is currently not in foal.

Howlett is also breeding from Indee Marie, an unraced Tactical Landing mare with strong Roydon Lodge bloodlines.

Her first foal by Orlando Vici has been named Double D after New Zealand Harness Racing’s best export, Dexter Dunn.

“He’s a cracking horse, correct, and I’m quite excited about him really. We called him Double D after the great man himself. He was a good-looking leggy colt when he came out so that’s why I thought it would be a good name for him.”

Double D will be entered in next year’s NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales.

“I’ll try and retain a share in him. He’s good looking and has a good nature.”

Indee Marie is back in foal to Bird Parker.

Howlett says although he races some pacers, he’s got a leaning towards trotters.

“I think it’s easier to get a good horse. I was pretty lucky with Tom (Bagrie) letting me buy a share in Dosh Dash before she won the Oaks. That gets you a bit excited.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink