Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Prominent Busselton trainer Barry Howlett completed a double as an owner when Lil Happy Fella surged home from the rear to score a runaway victory in the final event, the 2130m Allwood Stud Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Earlier, Howlett’s New Zealand-bred gelding Cheer The Major had won the opening event, the Fly Like An Eagle Pace.
Lil Happy Fella, an easy winner at Narrogin 13 nights earlier, was the $3.80 second favourite from barrier seven on Friday night, and his trainer Dylan Egerton-Green did not bustle him in the early stages, with the five-year-old gelding racing in eighth position until he began a three-wide move with a lap to travel.
The pacemaker was the $2.60 favourite Hotfoot It, who had the hard-pulling $71 outsider The Cheddarnator on his outside. Egerton-Green sent Lil Happy Fella to the front 300m from home and the gelding raced away to win by three lengths from $6 chance Let It Linga, who finished solidly after racing three back on the pegs. The final 400m was covered in 28.4sec. and the winner rated 1.58.3.
Howlett trained Lil Happy Fella early in his career and won four races with him and had him performing in fine style two years ago when he finished fifth behind Lavra Joe in the Group 1 Pearl Classic and fourth behind Finvarra in the Group 1 Pearl Classic.
Later in 2021 Howlett sent Lil Happy Fella to be prepared by Egerton-Green, who had driven the gelding at four of his first five starts for Howlett.
Lil Happy Fella is by Rock N Roll Heaven and is the first foal out of the Christian Cullen mare Lil Miss Hilarious, who won twice from 14 starts, scoring in New Zealand as a three-year-old and then making a successful Australian debut when he beat Lucky Diva at Gloucester Park in February 2013.
Egerton-Green has prepared Lil Happy Fella for his past 12 starts for three wins and five placings — taking his record to 35 starts for seven wins, ten placings and $53,789 in stakes.
“Lil Happy Fella has a great nature, and he went well after starting out wide from barrier seven,” said Egerton-Green, who previously trained two horses for Howlett — Purest Silk and the trotter Sunnys Little Jestic. Purest Silk’s three wins for Egerton-Green included the 2022 Race For Roses.