An older horse learning new tricks

When Barry Howlett headed to New Zealand back in 2016, he had zero intentions of purchasing a harness racing yearling out of Auckland Reactor by Baileys Delight, but with a miscommunication between friends, the horse somehow ended up with Barry and now seven years later, he has emerged, making his trial debut at Pinjarra just last Wednesday, May 1 by the name of Bortolo NZ.

With an impressive line going back through the dam, who’s great grand-dam was Black Eyed Susan who produced $1.216 million earner Baileys Dream NZ who finished sixth in the 2010 WATPAC Inter Dominion Final, there would be worse purchasers out there, and Howlett is confident his aged maiden has ability.

“Brett Mangos, we used to have our horses with him, I don’t know what exactly happened, but Tony Verley wanted to buy him and for some reason, Brett Mangos outbid him and came up to us and said, ‘I bought you a horse’,

“Otherwise, I never would have bought him,

“As an early two-year-old we were really happy with how he went, so he’s got ability,

“For an Auckland Reactor, he’s got quite a strong body.”

With the stable discovering that he had some bone chips as a two-year-old, the decision was made to remove them, and with every intention to bring him back into work, he was always put on the back burner which led to an extended spell for the gelding.

Initially heading to Craig Hynam to jog up, he returned home after a few months, but with an already full stable of horses in work, the decision was quickly made to send him down to Aldo Cortopassi who is of the opinion he’s a capable type.

“I think he’s a nice horse and go through his country classes easily,

“I will try to qualify him at Bunbury this Friday (May 10).” Cortopassi said.

The horse is now a nine-year-old and if all goes to plan, Bortolo NZ won’t remain a maiden for long.

Cortopassi, who recently made the move south currently has just a couple of horses in work.

by Ashleigh Paikos, for RWWA