All eyes on the sky in the lead-up to Platinum Attack’s Group III tilt at Rotorua on Sunday

The weather gods will decide whether Platinum Attack lives up to his $3.50 favourite tag in Sunday’s $140,000 Sweynesse Stakes at Rotorua.

The talented sprinter tackles the Group III weight-for-age 1215 metre feature, sharing the 59kg topweight with four others, but it’s not the opposition that worries co-owner Neville McAlister.

“It all comes down to the track and whether the rain arrives. If he was there on a dry track you’d be very confident but the TV forecast last night had rain all day.”

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s website listed the Rotorua surface as a soft 6 on Tuesday and, despite only 8mm of rain in the last week and none in the last 24 hours, it was reported to be in the same condition this morning, the club having irrigated 5mm itself.

Metservice is predicting isolated showers on Sunday, becoming widespread and heavier for a time in the morning and afternoon. Accuweather puts the chances of rain at 80%, with 5mm likely in morning showers.

“We’ll know more about his chances at five to 5pm (the race is scheduled for 5pm) but he’ll be running regardless,” said McAlister of the six-year-old who travels north from Palmerston North today.

Neville McAlister, right, with his partner in Platinum Attack, Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street, and trainer Lisa Latta.Trainer Lisa Latta is happy with Platinum Attack’s condition, tipping the horse out as her best of the weekend, after some sterling trackwork in the last 10 days.

Last week Platinum Attack and stablemate Platinum Diamond headlined proceedings on the Awapuni course proper, working in great style over 1000 metres in 1:02.5, with the final 800 in 48 and 600 in 35.1.

His Tuesday assignment was easier, working alone over 1000 metres he clocked 1:07.1, home in 50.1 and 35.8.

McAlister said it took Platinum Attack a couple of weeks to fully recover from his exertions at Ellerslie five weeks ago when seventh in the Proisir Plate.

“He was very tired after that race. He pulled a bit in the running and just whacked away in the straight.”

Having his first race for five months at a trip he had tackled only twice before, Platinum Attack was one of the first out of the barriers, Bruno Queiroz punching him forward from wide on the gate.

Three wide until securing a possie, one off in fifth, he held his own in the run up the straight, finishing seventh in a clump of six horses separated only by a long head, a short head, half a head, a head, a nose and a long neck.

But while no match for Well Written, Alabama Lass and Media World, he was right up with Tardelli, Tuxedo, Crocetti, Lupo Solitario and She’s A Dealer.

While many of those rivals contest feature races at Hastings today, McAlister says Platinum Attack is better suited to the weight-for-age Rotorua race, with slightly easier opposition and run at only 1215 metres.

Second favourite Chatelle Rose has racked up an impressive formline in lesser company and Platinum Attack has beaten equal third favourite Navigator at their last two meetings, at Trentham and Otaki in soft 5 and soft 6 conditions.

Most crucial of all, though, is the fact Platinum Attack has finally drawn a good alley, jumping from three and likely to enjoy a good run behind the pace on the slightly turning circuit.