Quality galloper Star Of Octagonal has continued his form resurgence with a tough win in the $150,000 Listed XXXX Gold Hawkesbury Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on Saturday.
Trained by Todd Howlett, Star Of Octagonal was a rising star back in 2010 when he won the Scone Guineas amongst a couple of other nice races but the form since had been poor until he returned this preparation.
Since returning in January Star Of Octagonal had score one win and four placings, three of which were in black type events and now he is back winning in at the top level.
Ridden by Robert Thompson, Star Of Octagonal got a lovely suck run in behind race leader Zara Dancer with race favourite Fast Clip sitting on the leaders outside.
Rounding the turn Fast Clip began to fade and this gave Thompson a perfect opportunity to angle off the fence and make his run for home.
In the straight Star Of Octagonal kicked for home but Western Symbol made sure it wasn't a one act affair as he threw everything at Star Of Octagonal over the final furlong but Thompsons mount packed too many punches.
At the line the margin was a head to Western Symbol with a length and a half to Saint Encosta in third place. The overall time was 1.35.61 with the last 600m run in 35.20.
“He definitely deserves that,” Howlett said. “He has been a great horse to me and a great horse to the owners.
“The owners have been patient, they are great owners; everybody at home, the staff, Robert (Thompson) has put a lot of effort into the horse, it's very good.
“Every time we take (Star Of Octagonal) to the track Thompson is there, riding him work, he is a big part of it.
“We had a lot of plans for (Star Of Octagonal) and we kept getting washed out with wet tracks and things didn't go right so we just made it up as we went along.
“We wanted to go to Scone but we need a race before Scone so we came here. I have never won a race here before so I was a bit scared coming here.
“I have had a fair bit to do with him and it is a pleasure to get the win for Todd and the owners,” Thompson said.
“They stuck strong by not running him on heavy tracks, they even carted him all the way to Eagle Farm then scratched him and brought him back home, so they have had a lot of faith in the horse and so have I and it has been a pleasure to win this race today for them.
“He is a bit of a funny horse but we seem to get on well together.”
Star Of Octagonal is by Octagonal (NZ) out of Joyce (NZ) and is owned by P Moore and L Moore.
