Buoyed by this week’s announcement of increased prize-money in New Zealand racing, accomplished horseman Howie Mathews is eager to return to New Zealand’s public training ranks.
In a career spanning more than four decades, Mathews has trained hundreds of winners including the likes of dual Group One winner Dorabella and outstanding stayer Sampson.
The last few seasons have seen him scale his Otaki operation right back, saddling fewer than 50 starters since 2019. The only horse to represent him this season has been Free Spirit, who won on her home track in December and has now had three wins in a 19-start career.
But news of $7 million worth of prize-money increases, including a minimum stake of $14,000, has put a spring in the 68-year-old’s step.
“I never officially retired, but we decided to stop taking public horses,” Mathews said. “In the last few seasons, we’ve just pottered around with a couple that we bought off Gavelhouse.com, and we were very fortunate to be given the opportunity to have Free Spirit. We’ve won a couple of races with her, and she’s running at Trentham on Saturday.
“But I’m quite encouraged by the focus of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing now. It seems like they’re at least targeting the problem.
“For many years, the problem has been that our stakes are far too low and need to be increased. When you think about how much some of the expenses have gone up, like the cost of feed, it’s mind-blowing.
“I’m happy to see that New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing are on to that and taking things on board, and I think what they’re doing is very positive.
“We’ve kept our little boutique stable at Otaki, and my wife (Lorraine) and I feel that we could pick things up again and maybe have around half a dozen horses.
“I didn’t have the best of health a couple of years ago. I’ve had two hip operations, and the second of those was very successful and now I’m feeling great. At 68, I think I still have a bit to offer. I’ve been training since 1977 and have close to 350 winners to my name.
“We’ve had some fantastic success over the years, most recently with Sampson. He was such a good horse who won a lot of races here and also campaigned in Australia. We’ve also had the likes of Dorabella and Rising Heights.
“We’d be really interested in dealing with any breeders or owners in the north who might have some horses with the big stables, where they might not quite be Group or Listed horses but still have the ability to win races, and maybe a move to the central districts might suit them. We think we could do quite well in our part of the country with that sort of horse, so we’d love to talk to any owners who might have that mindset and are keen to give us a go. It’s an exciting prospect for us.”
In the meantime, Mathews is focusing on Free Spirit, who will be ridden by Lisa Allpress in Saturday’s NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1600m) at Trentham.
“Running in these fillies and mares’ races, you don’t get the two-kilogram allowance, and I think that’s the only downside with her,” Mathews said. “She’s carrying a fair bit of weight, although she’s earned that, being a three-win horse in Rating 65 grade.
“We’ve got Lisa Allpress on, and she was very keen for the ride, so that gives us a bit of confidence. I think she’ll be a nice chance, as long as the track stays quite loose, which it should be as long as the rain continues.
“I was encouraged by her last-start run for fifth at Woodville, where she made up quite a few lengths in the last 800 metres. Racing is always a bit of a guessing game at this time of year, every wet track is different, but we’re hopeful.”
