By MIKE DILLON
Trainer Chris Wood was putting a positive on a Kaapstad Way negative yesterday.
The star New Zealand stayer had a major hiccup when the flight taking him and class mare Giovana to Melbourne on Monday night was cancelled because of landing gear problems.
Kaapstad Way was at Auckland Airport at 10.30 on Monday night. When the flight was cancelled he was taken back to Cambridge by float and did not arrive until 7.20 am yesterday.
Then it was back into the float and back to Auckland late in the morning in time to catch a mid-afternoon flight to Melbourne.
"It doesn't seem to have done him any harm," said Chris Wood.
"We brought him to the track and gave him a swim and he was leaping about the place.
"Maybe it will even bring his preparation on a bit."
Kaapstad Way has had only one start this campaign for an attractive effort behind Sunline in the 1400m Waikato Draught Sprint at Te Rapa last Saturday week.
He and Giovana will clash in Saturday's $A200,000 St George Stakes at Caulfield.
"Everything's fine, Damien Oliver has confirmed he will ride him and we're very happy with the horse."
Giovana had a trot and a canter in the Cambridge paddock for owner and New Zealand trainer Carol Marshall and Roger James, who takes over as trainer in Australia did not anticipate the inconvenience troubling the mare on Saturday.
"She's a sensible mare with the disposition to cope."
Chris Munce rides Giovana in the St George, which will serve as a lead-up for both Kiwi stars for the $A1.25 million Australian Cup on March 12.
Melbourne bookmaking firm Double Bet yesterday released the first betting chart on the Australian Cup with Northerly favourite at $4 followed by Giovana ($5), Diatribe ($6) and Kaapstaad Way fourth favourite on $8.
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