News

Star Of Octagonal on Epsom track

19th May 2010

*The Herald - Geoff Wilson - Tuesday, 18 May 2010

THE Hunter Valley's new champion Star Of Octagonal could be aimed at one of the great metric mile classics, the group 1 Epsom in the spring.

Star Of Octagonal's trainer, Todd Howlett, is already formulating huge plans for his horse after the three-year-old won the $770,000 Inglis Guineas (1600 metres) at Scone on Friday.

Star Of Octagonal, which is based at Lower Belford near Branxton, will spell in the lush paddocks of his owners Phil and Leanne Moore's big property at Singleton for about a month.

Howlett will then set Star Of Octagonal at an ambitious spring campaign.

"There is no use mucking around with this horse now - he is something special and we will give him his chance to prove it in the spring," he said.

Howlett said that champion jockey Glen Boss agreed this horse deserved his chance in elite races.

"Glen said Star Of Octagonal looked the perfect type of sprinter miler to him," Howlett said.

"I will talk to him and try and map out a spring program, but a race like the Epsom would seem perfect for him. He will be a four-year-old and should get into the race well."

Boss again showed he was Australia's greatest big-time rider on Friday when he brought Star Of Octagonal across at pace from gate 15 and then steadied him before dashing him away in the straight.