By Michael Guerin
It wasn’t too hard for trainers John and Josh Dickie to cop watching their stable star Speeding Spur get beaten at Alexandra Park on Friday for two reasons.
The first was they still won the race with stablemate Scarrymcleary; the second was Speeding Spur performed well enough to head to Australia next week.
Scarrymcleary overcame an early gallop to outstay his stablemate as Josh Dickie had suggested to hrnz.co.nz readers last week he could.
It was a case of Speeding Spur simply finding the 50m handicap too tough, especially as the winner trotted 3:29.
“Dad and I spoke about it on Saturday morning and he (Speeding Spur) has trotted 3:25 for 2700m stand finishing second and they don’t go much better than that,” said Josh.
“So he is still heading to Melbourne and we will see what happens.”
Speeding Spur has bypassed the Australasia Trotting Champs and will instead take on Monbet and Keystone Del in the A$100,000 Australian Trotting Grand Prix on February 6.
“It is a great stake and a good chance for us to see where he stands,” says Dickie.
“After that we can make a decision about whether he stays for races like the Great Southern Star or comes home so it will be a crucial race for him.
“But he deserves his crack at it.”
Meanwhile, the former pacer turned trotter Scarrymcleary will be aimed at races like the Anzac and Rowe Cups, where Dickie believes it will be suited by the fast sectionals.
“He has a big motor and is a great stayer.” Other highlights on the Alexandra Park programme were Lancewood Lizzie’s first win since last season’s Jewels, while high-priced yearling Strawberry Stride was very professional winning her debut for trainer-driver Tony Herlihy.
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