Racing: Spin Around teaches younger rivals lesson in Cup win

Vinny Colgan sits arms aloft after outsider 'Spin Around' got up to win the Auckland Cup paying $57.90. Photo / Dean Purcell

Veteran Spin Around made his younger rivals look second rate when he destroyed his opponents in today's $1 million Auckland Cup.

Spin Around settled midfield for Vinny Colgan and sprinted hard in the straight, waltzing past Mr Tipsy to win by two lengths.

The win took the eight-year-old's earnings past $1.5 million, a great return for a $50,000 horse who injured his legs as a young horse in Hong Kong.

Spin Around started at odds of $57.90 but his trainer Steven Cooper, of Ardmore, near Auckland, was confident after his second in the Nathans Memorial on Sunday.

"It was only his second race this time in and he ran a great race," Cooper said.

"We knew he was bloody well today, he's dropped in the weights and we thought he had a great chance."

Cooper, an Englishman from the southwest county of Devon, arrived in New Zealand nine years ago for a holiday and never left.

He took up training and prepares a number of horses for Danny Wong of Brookby Stables. He was given Spin Around after the horse injured suspensory ligaments in Hong Kong.

Spin Around was one of the stars of last season, winning the Avondale Cup among others last season.

But he lost some of his reputation in spring, failing in the Kelt Capital Stakes and the New Zealand Cup.

"It was my fault over the Kelt - I pushed him too hard - but we learnt from that," he said.

"He had a nice long preparation for this."

Cooper isn't sure if Spin Around will race again this autumn, though some consideration is being given to an overseas campaign.

Colgan wasn't as confident about his chances coming into the race.

"I picked up the ride on Sunday because Craig Grylls (who rode him on Sunday) was committed to Tinseltown," Colgan said.

"I wasn't that confident. There wasn't any pressure on me so I went out to have a nice ride."

The win will keep Colgan going well for March as he is suspended for a month from the end of racing on Saturday after his ride in the New Zealand Derby on Sunday.

Mr Tipsy got to the lead soon after straightening but could not hold off Spin Around's final sprint. Mandela, who went to the front with a round to go when the pace became very slow, fought well for third.

The two favourites, Six O'Clock News and Capecover, were both undone by the slow pace.

Six O'Clock News finished well for fifth after failing to settle.

"He didn't relax and you can't do that in a 3200m race," jockey Noel Harris said.

"But he finished very well given that he didn't relax. Average horses don't do that and he'll be better in six months to a year."

Capecover, now trained in Australia, settled last and couldn't make up enough ground in the straight, not a surprise given the last 600m was run in 34.2 seconds.

"With his wide draw we decided to settle back," jockey Michelle Payne said.

"We were hoping for some pace but they slowed right up by the post the first time. He went a good race but they just went too slow early on."

Jockey Mark Du Plessis had a heavy fall in the straight from Casa De Campo but he escaped with a few bruises.

- NZPA