Star Of Octagonal gave this month’s Scone Yearling Sale another boost on Saturday with a Listed victory in the $150,000 Rowley Mile (1600m) at Hawkesbury.

Star Of Octagonal (5g Octagonal – Joyce by Faltaat) is trained by Todd Howlett for owners Phil and Leanne Moore.  He cost $23,000 at the 2008 Scone Sale and has now earned over $843,000.

Earlier in his career, the Octagonal gelding looked to have the world at his feet after back-to-back wins in the G3 AJC South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick and Scone Guineas (1600m).  A run of wet tracks and bad luck hindered his progress but the gelding has surged back to form this year.

“We had a lot of plans for him 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,” Howlett said.  “We came here because he needed a run before the Scone carnival.  He’s has been a great horse to me and to the owners.”

Star Of Octagonal was given a beautiful ride by Robert Thompson.  They kicked clear turning for home on the way to a rousing victory over Western Symbol.

Octagonal is based at Darley but isn’t advertised on its NSW roster.  Now rising 20, the champion galloper covers between 30 and 40 mares a season.  He got the Rowley Mile winner from NZ bred Joyce who was a Randwick juvenile winner in May 2003.  She has a 2yo filly by Not a Single Doubt and a filly foal by Octagonal.

The 2012 Inglis HTBA Scone Yearling Sale will be conducted on Sunday, May 20 at White Park following the two day Scone Carnival on May 18 and 19.