News

Star Of Octagonal ready for spring

16th Aug 2010

Herald Sun - Sunday, 15 August 2010

Todd Howlett is happy to take his time with Star Of Octagonal to ensure the gelding has the right foundations before he produces him to chase spring riches.

Howlett has been ramping up the four-year-old's workload in the past 10 days, including taking him to Newcastle for fast work at the Broadmeadow racetrack.

"It's really exciting having a horse like him, and I'm just making sure I do things right," Howlett said.

The lightly-raced Star Of Octagonal made a name for himself in the autumn with three wins from his five starts including the Group Three South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick and the $740,000 Scone Inglis Guineas (1600m).

Howlett said the gelding spelled really well and the Group One Epsom Handicap would be his first major target of the spring.

"He built right up," Howlett said.

"He came back in and had built up a lot of muscle. He had really matured and I was really pleased with that.

"I just started taking him into Newcastle the last couple of weeks to do some fast work.

"I'd like to think I could have him ready for the Cameron Handicap at Newcastle (September 15) but I'll make that decision a bit closer to the race."

Howlett, who trains Star Of Octagonal at his property in the Lower Hunter Valley, is keen to give the up-and-coming sprinter-miler his chance to shine in Melbourne later in the spring but says the four-year-old will definitely be seen in Sydney before he heads south.

The Group Three Concorde Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 28 is a possible return date ahead of the Cameron Handicap second-up.

"It just depends on the horse," Howlett said.

"I want to have him up and get a good preparation out of him.

"All going well he'll head to Melbourne.

"The plan was to run in the Cameron or the Bill Ritchie Handicap, then the Epsom and then head to Melbourne.

"Everything is good with him, he put on a fair bit of weight and I just don't want to rush him."