Racing: Chance comes Around

Stephen Cooper is now delighted he accepted grand old galloper Spin Around for tomorrow's $150,000 First Sovereign Trust Rotorua Cup.

The Te Aroha big race was meant to be a lead-up race to the S$3 million Singapore Cup on May 17.

It is now Spin Around's grand final.

Cooper discovered when he came in for lunch yesterday that Spin Around had not been accepted for the big Singapore event, when indications had been given that he would be invited to represent New Zealand.

"I got the surprise of my life when I looked at the email of the field for Singapore Cup and the old bloke wasn't there," said Cooper.

Spin Around is likely to now be aimed at another iconic event - November's Melbourne Cup.

"That has to be discussed with his Hong Kong owner Mr Wong. He's actually not the greatest fan of Australian racing and I have to say I'm probably not either. But it's a logical race for him."

Meanwhile, there's tomorrow's $150,000 feature.

Spin Around has had only one start since winning the $1 million Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on March 4 and that was in the 1600m Easter Handicap.

Given his record, Spin Around is probably not too badly off with 59kg topweight.

His earnings of $1,504,093 are double the next biggest winner, Dezigna, and five times the third biggest, Ginga Dude.

His Easter performance to finish eighth, 5.5 lengths from winner Prince Kaapstad, was full of merit.

He got well back and was making ground better than any other runner in the final 170m over a distance that is now well short of his best.

The jump from 1600m to 2200m tomorrow looks perfect.

John Wheeler's first fear was that All In Black might quickly suffer in the handicaps because of her dashing Hawkes Bay Gold Cup victory.

But because Spin Around pushes the others down in the weights, the emerging mare has gone from 52.kg at Hastings to only 53.5kg.

And the 5.5kg she receives from Spin Around could be crucial.

"I'm very pleased with her, she's done everything right, but I don't rate her a good thing," said Wheeler.

"She's got an awkward draw to contend with and she'll be favourite.

"You don't get many breaks when you're favourite - they're all out looking for you."

Ginga Dude is probably the one they all have to beat.

Even allowing his luxury 54kg through Ethan Dalley's apprentice allowance at Tauranga last start, he was impressive bombing the leaders late to win narrowly.

He's gone up in the handicap quickly and with only 1.5kg off Spin Around will need to be close to peak.

Part owner and trainer Graeme Boyd says he is.

"He's gone forward since Tauranga - he's in enormous shape."

Southerner Gasnier won the $100,000 Riverton Cup last start on a slow track.

Part-owner and trainer Danny Champion was hoping for the same conditions at Te Aroha, but yesterday the chances of that happening looked remote.

Tinseltown's form on paper looks only fair, but you have to take into account that his four starts since winning the Avondale Cup include the City Of Auckland Cup, Wellington Cup and Spin Around's Auckland Cup.

It is fair to assume the Matamata stayer will take great improvement from his fifth behind Ginga Dude over 1500m at Tauranga.

The staying trip and Te Aroha's testing track looks made to order.

NEW TARGET
* Spin Around was yesterday a surprise omission from the S$3 million Singapore Cup.
* Tomorrow's Rotorua Cup, which was to have been a lead-up to the Asian feature, now becomes his main mission.
* Trainer John Wheeler is not as confident with likely favourite All In Black as he was going into the Hawkes Bay Cup last start.