Extra Entry Gives Dime A Sandown Start

Friday, 18 June 2010 05:45

Trainer Rick Hore-Lacy has been able to switch race plans for Spare A Dime after accepting with him at Sandown as insurance.

Spare A Dime was unable to resume in Thursday's fourth heat of the Winter Championship (1400m), when the Seymour meeting was abandoned because of bad weather and surface water.

"We pulled the right rein there," Hore-Lacy, who had a feeling the Seymour program would be called off, said.

"It was blue sky at home but I accepted with him at Sandown on Thursday morning just in case."

Spare A Dime hasn't raced since last August, when he came off a six-week let-up at the end of a winter staying campaign and was a fast-finishing fourth over 1400 metres at Sandown.

"He's had a fair amount of time out, but I'm happy with the way he's come back," Hore-Lacy said.

"He's a had a couple of jumpouts and he should be able to run a reasonable mile (1600m) first-up at Sandown."

Space A Dime will be ridden by Dwayne Dunn in Saturday's Le Pine Funerals Hcp (1600m), but his best form has been in longer races as he has not won at less than 1700 metres.

Last winter he scored consecutive six-length wins at Bendigo and Sandown over 2400 metres.

A $220,000 yearling, he has always impressed Hore-Lacy as a stayer and as a three-year-old contested both the SA Derby and VRC St Leger Stakes before needing surgery for a serious knee injury.

Hore-Lacy said Spare A Dime was best suited on wet tracks and was in at the right time of the year to enhance his record of five wins from 30 starts.

"We are hoping that he can pick up a couple of races again this campaign," Hore-Lacy said.

Spend A Dime is renowned for racing off the speed and is a strong finisher.

"When he's right he's got a really good turn of foot at the end of his races and hopefully he can find form again," Hore-Lacy said.