Howlett’s ‘fairytale dog’ racing for Nationals glory

By Pat McLeod

Glenn Howlett calls his Tasmanian Nationals sprint representative, Two Girls, his ‘fairytale dog’, but an even far more enchanting script beckons at The Q on Saturday night.

The Beast Unleashed and Hope's Thunder chaser is the longshot ($31) in the field of speed stars, but her story so far begs a best-selling ending.

“I call her my fairytale dog because, not many people know this, but she was a giveaway,” Howlett explains.

“I was buying a few dogs and she was a package deal with them. I was basically told, ‘If you want her, you can take her’. Now, down the track a bit, the giveaway is the best by far of those dogs.

“Can she do it? Well, she has won the right to be in the Final by winning the state Final.

“I have always had a fair bit of confidence in her, but it is not an easy field.”

And, more than the odds are stacked against Two Girls.

History also doesn’t side with a Tasmanian sprint winner, with the state having won that crown just once (Busy Vintage in 1984) since the Nationals were first run in 1965.

But, in greyhound racing, there is always a chance.

Howlett is very aware of the task he and Two Girls face in what is shaping as an epic Group 1 showdown on the Q2 Parklands 520 metre circuit.  

“This is a very good field, when you look at the Thompson dogs (Tim Zoo and Flying Zulu) and Tony Brett's Cumbria Jack and that is just for starters,” he says.

“If my dog can muster pace early and position close enough, then you never know what might happen with a clean run.

“Her final section, that is where she does her best work. More recently she's also been picking the right run. She can navigate a field.

“I am happy with the box draw (three). Considering this field, I would probably prefer her there than out wide.

“In these big races you just never know. If she can get around the first corner and be positioned up, well I know she will be there at the finish.

“If she is close enough, she is certainly good enough. Her run-on times are impressive, so if she can sharpen her earlier sections, then who knows.”

Howlett and Two Girls arrived from his base, north of Hobart, on Saturday and has been staying at Jason Schmidt’s property at Churchable.

Two Girls trialled 30.13 seconds on Monday at The Q and Howlett believes she can bring that down to around 29.80 seconds on Saturday night, which he says would put her in the race.

“She has continually shown ability over and above what I expected from when I first got her,” he said.

“She gets better and better. She grows in stature and confidence. She has won the two major feature races for females in Tasmania (Tasmanian Laurels and Damsels Dash).

“I'm just very grateful to be in a Group 1 race and representing Tasmania. Not bad for a giveaway. The icing on the cake would be if she ran in the top three. In big races you just never know.”