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A sudden return of the old gate speed from Howl at his last barrier trial inspired trainer Daniel Meagher to change tactics at his next race on Friday night – and to winning effect.

In moderate form of late, the Showcasing five-year-old did show some toe early in his racing career, even scoring his maiden win in December 2017 from pillar to post.

He did not win again until 10 months later, this time racing handy on the pace, but the rot had set in since. 

Howl  was putting in more howlers than screamers. Ridden further back, he struggled to make ground at the business end. 

But at his barrier trial on April 18, he sprang the gates for Benny Woodworth, never to be rejoined thereafter. It was the blueprint Meagher needed to Friday’s run in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 3 race over 1200m. 

Once Howl overcame his wide gate to take up the running rather easily, Woodworth allowed him to amble along at fairly soft splits before throwing out the anchors at the top of the straight. 

The $46 chance held his ground with aplomb. Lim’s Reform (Riduan Abu Bakar) and favourite Splinter (Callan Murray) did come wearing him down, but he held them safely at bay to score by 1 ½ lengths from Lim’s Reform, with Splinter third another half-length away. The winning time was 1min 11.08secs for the 1200m on the Polytrack. 

“He’s a horse with some ability – more the bread-and-butter type – but he’s been a bit disappointing recently,” said Meagher. 

“We tried switching him by going forward in a trial and he repeated that trial form tonight. He’s a one-paced type but it was a good result overall.” 

Cementing his fourth spot on the Singapore jockey’s premiership on 18 winners, Woodworth said Howl was never in doubt once he came across from his wide barrier. 

“He did the same thing he did in his last trial – roll forward and keep going. He just brought his trial form to the races,” said the in-form Malaysian rider. 

“It’s always easy when things work out well.” 

Racing in the new colours of owner Lee Wan How, Howl has now taken his race record to three wins and three seconds from 17 starts for prizemoney that has now tipped over the $100,000 mark.