Copy That can win Saturday night’s Victoria Cup with a perfect trailing draw, says trainer Ray Green.
All clear for Copy That and at $16 and $4 Ray says he’s at a great price in the Victoria Cup
By Barry Lichter • 6 October 2022
Copy That has scoped clear and will take his place in Saturday night’s A$300,000 Victoria Cup, trainer Ray Green believing he is primed to win.
Green reported the vet saw nothing out of the ordinary when Copy That was scoped today at Yabby Dam Farm in Ballarat in front of Victorian stewards.
“There’s nothing wrong with the horse. He’s in great shape and I think he’s very capable of winning if he gets a good trip.”
The finding only confirmed what Green expected, Copy That having been his normal self since it was discovered he had a minor bleed in last Saurday night’s Smoken Up Sprint at Melton when he weakened to fifth after sitting parked.
“It will all come down to luck in the running but we’re in with a decent shout.
“I can’t understand why people think he can’t win,” said Green laughing at the $16 and $4 quote the New Zealand TAB has on the horse.
“That shows you how much they know. I know what he’s capable of, the world knows, so they shouldn’t be disregarding him.
“He’s a New Zealand Cup winner who has won five Group I races, so he’s the best performed horse in the field.
“He’s going into the race in top shape. Apart from that last episode everything has gone to plan. He’s following out the second favourite, who will be trying to hold up, so he’ll be handy.
“Expensive Ego is a very good horse so he’s an obvious danger from two and Better Eclipse has run a 1:47 mile in the Chariots so he’s got to be tough too.
“You can’t fault what Rock N Roll Doo has done recently and Honolua Bay is a promising horse but I don’t think he’s ready to beat anybody important yet.
“There are some tidy horses in the race but nothing Copy That can’t handle.”
Green says he’s done nothing different with Copy That this week.
“He did a bit of steady work yesterday and a little bit of the same today, though not as intense.
“Tomorrow I’ll just jog him, I won’t be drilling him with any fast work, that’s not what I do. I’ll leave that to the others.”
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Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
Our runners this week
Tuesday at Cambridge
Colonel Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Commander Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Kevin Kline, Lincoln La Moose, The Big Lebowski.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Commander Lincoln
5.51pm
“Back to Cambridge and the easier amateur ranks he can get some of it. He’s an honest little horse who pays his way.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
6.49pm
“She’s a nice filly who is training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the money in spite of the outside draw. She’d be one of the best in that field and is definitely an each-way chance.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.39pm
“He hasn’t raced for nearly 21 months but his training has been good and he should go well first-up. He’s a beautiful, big horse who probably lacks a yard of speed to be a real super horse but he’s got everything else. I expect him to go well against this lot.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
8.04pm
“He’s training well and has surprised us before, like when he won his first start at Cambridge like a monster after breaking on the first turn. It’s always the way when they win their first start - it makes things hard for them after that - but he’s travelling well now and is capable of being in it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.09pm
“He’ll be relying on a heap of good luck from the second row. His last run was a non-event. The poor little bugger couldn’t have done a better job of finding trouble. He’s trained on all right.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.09pm
“He’s training really well and he showed last time what a big motor he had, losing all that ground early and still getting up to win. He’s not famous for his gate speed but as long as he gets away safely then Maurice can put him in the race at the right time. There are a lot of horses in there that aren’t that safe who could stand on their ear. Navigating through them is always a worry. He’ll need some luck but he could give them a fright.”
Race 6: Frisco Bay
8.05pm
“He obviously can’t beat Duchess Megxit or Jeremiah but if he gets a good trip he’s a chance of getting some money. Things didn’t suit him last time - being out three wide then going to the front. He’s so hot, he over-races. He goes best if he’s allowed to slop out and find the back of something, when he generally relaxes. Even if he got back a bit, that would be all right, so long as he gets sucked along.”
