Racing: All Blacks captain's horse wins big

Speeding Spur. Photo / Jason Dorday

New All Black captain Kieran Read can't stop winning.

The two-time World Cup hero not only now has New Zealand's top sporting job but also shares in the ownership of superstar trotter Speeding Spur, who thrashed Australia's best in the A$300,000 Great Southern Star in Victoria last night.

The South Auckland-trained trotter came from a seemingly hopeless position locked away on the markers at the 300m mark to explode past his rivals in the final 50m, winning going away.

Already a star after winning three Derbys last season, Speeding Spur has made a surprisingly quick impression in the open class trotting ranks against the older horses.

Read shares in the ownership with All Black mates Andy Ellis and Dave Hewett, 1974 Commonwealth Gold Medalist Dick Tayler and Auckland racing commentator Peter Earley.

They race the four-year-old with a syndicate formed by breeding giants Woodlands Stud.

Speeding Spur has won 16 of his 27 starts and over $400,000 and barring injury looks set to become a millionaire trotter before his career is over.

Read, who was at the Ellerslie races yesterday, said he was loving the experience of racing a top horse.

"The people we race it with have been great and I am a little bit nervous about this race because its a big one," Read said before the victory.

"But it is a lot of fun and a nice distraction away from rugby."

Speeding Spur gave trainers John and Josh Dickie their biggest win in harness racing on Josh's 25th birthday.

He will now return home to be set for the Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park on April 29.

"I can't believe how much this horse keeps improving," said John Dickie.

"I'd love to win a Rowe Cup with him and then he will go to the Jewels and that will be it for the season.

"But I think he can come back even better next season and his clashes with Monbet (arch rival) will be great for the industry."