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By Tony Megahey

While it’s career defining times for Muswellbrook trainer Todd Howlett with his first Derby runner Noisy Boy ($34 on TAB) at Royal Randwick, a $600 bargain buy Pocket Sage, has a level of importance at Monday’s Tamworth TAB meeting.

Howlett, with a big team in work in the Hunter, has a 10 runners nominated for four meetings in the ensuing days including Royal Randwick, Hawkesbury, Dubbo and Tamworth.

Muswellbrook trainer Todd Howlett. Image by Bradley Photographers

At Tamworth Pocket Sage ($13), a former Victorian with Waterhouse and Bott, is a confirmed starter.

“Odd story, he had wind issues, I bought him just as trial horse for my two young apprentices, just to get the girls started, we weren’t thinking about really getting him to the races,” Howlett explained.

“But he’s a lightly raced four-year-old, had some breeding and did win a Stawell maiden first prep to show he had ability.

“He kept progressing at home, won well enough at Dubbo to suggest he’ll run well in his right grade at Tamworth off a harder race at Newcastle.”

Pocket Sage, a winner now of two of only six race starts, has 62.5kg for Mikayla Weir from barrier 13 in the Shay Brennan Construction BM 58, 1000m.

Two-decade trainer Howlett has newcomers, three-year-old fillies Poppy Box ($6) and Specula ($8) in respective Tamworth races. He also has Poppy Box in at Dubbo on Sunday.

“I haven’t made a decision, all depends on the weather, predictions there’s rain about. But both fillies are progressive off trials and will win races.”

And the grand occasion at Royal Randwick on Saturday with Noisy Boy an outsider in ATC Australian Derby?

“Big day my first Derby runner, but confident he’ll stay the 2400m, that’s something in our favour against all the quality, he got home as strong as anything in the Tulloch.”

In the Group 2, 2000m, Noisy Boy was beaten less than a length by Wymark coming from midfield.

Tamworth is rated a Good 4 having received no rain overnight and 6mls for the past week.

But the weather forecast is for the very high chance of heavy falls and a thunderstorm on Friday and a high chance of showers on Saturday. Little to no rain is forecast for Monday.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Tamworth here