1.   I was beyond fury at this little creature, who had spoiled my chances at amassing a fortune of pink clay.

2.   They tried to dig up something from his past to spoil his chances of being elected.

3.   But it is equally possible that he could spoil any chances he might have had by making some political slip.

4.   If they think it spoils their chances.

5.   And the most important hand he shakes may be that of economist Grigory Yavlinsky, the candidate in the best position to spoil the chances of President Boris Yeltsin.

6.   But a heroin addiction spoiled his chances of pursuing a professional career in the National Basketball Association.

7.   But he noted that in the past, congressional immunity spoiled the chances of any criminal prosecution and that Justice Department officials generally discouraged it.

8.   But, he said, the parties had still shown their power to help or spoil the chances of such candidates this year.

9.   Controversy heightened when Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein, endorsed her campaign in an unwelcome move which analysts predicted would spoil her chances of success.