SPEAR LAD SUCCEEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1932, Page 4

SPEAR LAD SUCCEEDS

WAIRARAPA'S MAIN RACE

REWARD-FOR PATIENCE

Spear Lad was ridden a patient race in the President's Handicap,, the main, event at the.;Wairarapa Meeting, on Saturday, and 'this-assisted hint to victory-.. The success wad "well aierited, for the horse <Jitl -all his good work at the end and displayed mucii better stamina than any of the others. After his good-effort in the Wairarapa Cup, in which he finished.third, if'was rather . surprising that he should be alKwed to.-pay-such a useful price as ho. I did.. Hia| approntico • pilot, ;W. J. McDoveell,: deserves' credit for -not permitting hisvhorse .^tb. be. drawn.into the game of cut-throat: which Shrewd" and Autopay-were anxious to make him take a 1 third hand in. . •'■•.-"

Spear-Lad was actually the best away at the start, but Autopay soon displaced him. The latter was in somewhat ungenerous mood, and Spear Lnd was compelled. to. take the lead again just after they; lhad ; turned into .the ;bacli stretch. Shrewd, .howevery relieved, hiia; of the responsibility; and .'Autopay again, went up ahead of him- near the- half-mile-. Shrewd I and Autopay, together; were just clear of Spear Lad' at the straight entrance, but when the last-named challenged on the outside they were soon in difficulties. Spear Lad'oame on to win nicely by a length and a half, Autopay beating Shrewd. for ■econd money by three-parts i'o£ a length. Spear Lad has won1 only once previously ihe opea handicap at Levin recently, so that tie; is still well within hack ranks. His strength, however, is over distances beyond tho usual hack-journeys, and his future racing ia likely to be mainly in open class. While -Gi Jones has been away at-.Ellerslie he has been in charge o£!the:stable's head man, W. McConkie, ■whom; good luck has often -followed. The career- of Spear Lad" is being watched with. interest •by students of breeding, as be .is a peculiarly ljne-lired.individual, -his sire> (Greyspear) - and-'dam (Bonrina): both having a common dam at the fourth re-; move. '■■'.; . Autopay was a gather disappointing favourite.- He did'his jo' 6 very patchily and gave-. A. E. Ellis a very hard ride. If he would go honestly there is no. reason, judged on his Tauherenikau efforts, why ha should not yet compass a middle dis-' tanoer successfully. Shrewd attempted but was unable to do/what he did at Awapuni pit;TiiVsday.'' Stani;hio'n;.is;nbf; at."present »;.patch du-his..pld.self.' . .." , ".