News

Former council worker Howlett is shooting for the stars

29th Apr 2010

Sydney Morning Herald - Friday, 30 April 2010

Trainer Todd Howlett took long-service leave to follow a dream to be a horse trainer and has not looked back, writes Chris Roots.

Todd Howlett was working on Singleton council nine years ago when a horse called The Moonster caused a changed in his career. The son of Vain Karioi was the first horse he took to the races as a trainer.

''I was doing it as a hobby, really,'' Howlett said. ''I have been around horses all my life, rode a bit of trackwork at Singleton, but it had mainly been working with draft and rodeo horses.

''The Moonster won at 100-1 at Muswellbrook and if I knew what I know now he probably wouldn't have started that price. I was a bit new to it back then.''

The hobby became a bit more serious when Howlett decided to take six months' long service from the council after The Moonster's win and he never went back to work in parks and gardens.

He has spent the past few years working his way around the bush tracks with limited success but Howlett has now come across his star - Star Of Octagonal.

The three-year-old will start favourite for the Hawkesbury Guineas tomorrow but the Inglis Guineas at Scone in two weeks is the big goal.

In only five starts Star Of Octagonal has eclipsed Howlett's previous best galloper, sprinter Our Liam, which won three in the city.

''Our Liam was a nice horse but nothing like this bloke [Star Of Octagonal],'' Howlett said.

''We always knew he was pretty good but that doesn't mean much until they do it on the track and he has started to do that now.''

Star Of Octagonal walked out of the sales ring at Scone and was sold to Phil and Leanne Moore for only $22,000. ''It looks like a bargain now,'' Howlett said. ''Leanne had a dream about buying an Octagonal and wanted the horse as soon as she saw it.''

Offers of up to $500,000 from Hong Kong have followed as Star Of Octagonal's career has started to flourish but the Moores have decided they want to race the bargain buy.

Howlett pointed out that he could win $500,00 with a victory in the Inglis Guineas.

''We bought him at Scone and that's the race we have targeted with him,'' Howlett said.

''It's why we went from winning a Gosford class 2 to being a group 3 winner because I wanted to make sure he gets in that race.

''We could have gone through the grades at the provincials but would have run the risk of not getting into the race. Even after winning the other day [at Randwick] he is still about 40 on the order of entry for Scone but there are lot of horses above him that probably won't be there.''

Star Of Octagonal made an impact from his first start when he was third in the rich Inglis Challenge at Scone last year, but it has been this preparation where he has started to fulfil his potential.

He won first-up from a spell at Gosford and then ran into trouble in running as he was beaten by Flowerchild twice, firstly at Canterbury and then Rosehill.

Finally, given a clear crack at them Star Of Octagonal proved too strong for Neeson in the South Pacific Classic at Randwick two weeks ago.

But the reality for Howlett quickly hit home the next day. ''I went to Tamworth the next day and didn't have a winner,'' he said.

His team has grown to more than 20, a long way from The Moonster days, and while Star Of Octagonal is the stand-out, he receives no special treatment at home.

Howlett has tried training on track at Wyong racecourse but finds working from his property near Singleton works better for him. ''I think horses need plenty of room,'' he said. ''I went to Wyong and almost got washed away in the floods there. But I just didn't like it before that [anyway]. I came back here and it allows me to train the way I have grown up with plenty of room. They all get treated the same out here and I just try to get them fit and ready to go.

''[Star Of Octagonal] doesn't get trained any differently to the other ones I have got but he has just got the ability to go a lot faster.

''It's strange. When you have one like him you worry a lot more but it is certainly a lot more exciting.''