AUTOPAY’S GREAT SPEED

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1931, Page 9

AUTOPAY’S GREAT SPEED

PENTHEtJS RUN OFF HIS LEGS. HARD LUCK NO PART IN EPSOM. There can be no hard luck stories in connection with the Epsom Handir cap. Some of tho runners might have Had an interrupted passage, but, writes “Musket” in the Sporting* Globe, no matter what their riders say, it made no difference to the result. Autopay was the fastest and the best horse on the day, and richly deserved his win. He made the pace, fought off challenges in the straight, and outstayed the opposition. It is a coincidence that the first three horses to firiish—Autopay, Ticino and Pentheus, were the first three out of the barrier, and they ran in that order throughout the mile —further proof that the best horses filled the places. 1 At one time there was little chance of. Autopay running in the Epsom Handicap.. Purely a sprinter, it was not Thought that he would be capable of running out the mile. A sea voyage acts as a tonic to some racehorses, as rriuch as to human beings, and to that was attributed Autbpay’s advancement. He was not seriously regarded in the Epsom Handicap market until he won the Camellia Stakes at Hosehill, nearly three weeks ago. People then began to sit up arid take notice of hiin. He followed with a win at Hawkesbury, after which , he beeariie an Epsom fancy. | . There was a strong element of doubt about hiri prospects—doubt whether he would run out tho mile. His im: mediate connections were uncertain on the point. As it turned out, tho four-year-old was first out of the machine and led to the end. Ho drew No. 13! Autophy is a chubby little stallion. He must have a big heart. When Ticino threw out a.vigorous challenge a little more than a furlong from home, McCartc.n. had to rido Autopay hard. The little fellow answered gamely. Ticino is only a horse of average height; but alongside him Autopay looked like a pony. Seldom have I seen Jimmy Mirnyo ride with' such vigour as he did bn Ticino. It meant a big thing to him. The , Valais gelding liad been heavily supported at good odds by his connections, and Munro was laid a big stakeBut Mnnr. 's vigour was of no avail against A. opay’s pluck. At one Time Ticino was in R. Bradfield’s etable at Flemington, and he gained a reputation for being unreliable. Since . then, ho has changed hands, and has been added to the list of geldings. On Saturday there was plenty of determination in his finishing effort. Perhaps if Autopay had been out of the race, Pentheus would have landed the money. Autopay is exceptionally fast out of the barrier, and when he dashed off Pike found it necessary to ride Pentheus hard in order to maintain his position on the inside—the favourite started from No. 1. It was not until the half-mile had been reached that Pentheus settled down in comfort. In the straight he looked momentarily as if he would come right on and win, but his early effort had taken too much out of him. If Autopay had been out of the race it would have been run differently, and no doubt Pentheus would have had sufficient pace to keep the leaders in sight without great effort. Then he would have had more in hand for the finish.