Big money coming for Copy That and Ray can’t see him beaten - no matter how fast they go

It doesn’t matter how fast Copy That has to go in Friday night’s $95,000 Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park, Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green can’t see him beaten.

“He’s capable of anything, he’s such a spectacular horse,” Green said. “He’s a serious Grand Circuit horse, a world class horse, and if he had to go 1:50 it wouldn’t worry him.”

Copy That has already proved impossible to catch over the sprint trip a couple of times in the north this season.

In January he comfortably held Self Assured in the Flying Mile at Cambridge, clocking 1:53.2. That’s faster than the race record of 1:53.4 set by Spankem when he won the Taylor Mile at its last running in 2019 when, after 12 years, the distance reverted from 1700 metres to 1609 metres.

But Copy That has gone much faster than that at Auckland too. Last August, in scoring by five lengths over 1700 metres, he rated a sizzling 1:52.

By comparison the New Zealand mile record, set by Border Control in winning the Harness Jewels in 2013, is 1:50.6, but on the much faster Ashburton circuit.

Green said he wasn’t surprised punters were coming for Copy That in a big way - his opening quote of $2.10 already whittled down to $1.65.

Drawn five, Copy That’s explosive gate speed looks sure to carry him to the early lead.

Copy That has too much speed for Kango at Alexandra Park in March. PHOTO: Megan Liefting.Only Kango, drawn one inside Copy That, has enough early toe to push Copy That but after he punctured late when taken on last start, Green can’t see him being gassed early.

“Kango struggles on the corners too so I couldn’t see them wanting to sool him into that first turn.

“If something tries to hold out Copy That it will be to get him beaten not to give themselves every chance and I can’t see anyone being that stupid.

“And I can’t imagine anything wanting to attack Copy That if he did lead.

“In these small fields, whoever leads often gets away with murder. If you can get a cheap quarter somewhere, you’re very hard to peg back.”

Ray Green … Copy That is world class.Green knows, however, that second favourite Amazing Dream, while unlikely to be a factor early, will be round to push the horse at some stage.

“I’m sure Amazing Dream will be there with a lap to go to keep us honest. It will be an interesting race because they’re both very good horses.”

Green likes the fact that New Zealand Cup winner Self Assured has been able to run down Amazing Dream a couple of times but has yet to catch Copy That.

“I can’t see her rounding us up to be honest. I can’t imagine anything beating him.”

Who’s who of harness racing greats

A Who’s Who of New Zealand harness racing greats have their names on the Taylor Mile winning list, including Lazarus (2017), Field Marshal (2016), Christen Me (2013), Terror To Love (2012), Auckland Reactor (2009), Changeover (2008), Mainland Banner (2006), Elsu (2004) and Just An Excuse (2003) but it also includes another Lincoln Farms horse in Besotted (2014) who, despite running only a 2:00 mile rate, upset the star mare Adore Me.

Besotted scores a $42 upset for Lincoln Farms in winning the 2014 Taylor Mile.Besotted adopted the Taylor Mile road to riches by leading and trailing from the pole but Green says he didn’t rank with Copy That for speed and neither did Lincoln Farms’ former great pacer Sir Lincoln.

Only Green’s former top age group star King Of Swing, who was sold before he could tackle the Taylor Mile, came close to Copy That’s turn of foot, Green said.

“He was an outstanding tough horse but this guy would have a bit more speed than him, even now.”

Green said despite a lacklustre workout a couple of weeks ago, when beaten by Darling Me, he’s very happy with Copy That now.

“He’s really come on in the last 10 days. Two weeks ago I was a little bit worried. He’d had a break and an enforced back-off in his work because of the sickness we had at the stable and he got away on us a bit - got a bit fatter than I’d have liked.

“He didn’t go as well as he can in that first workout but perhaps he didn’t realise it was a race with only one other horse against him.

“He’s basically a lazy animal, which is a good trait. He only does what he has to so you couldn’t take too much out of it.

“Last Saturday he grew another leg. His workout was good against two really nice horses and he was in a different class.”

Full of running at the finish, five and a half lengths clear of Need You Now and Dance Time, Copy That clocked swift closing sectionals of 55.2 and 26.8 for a mile rate of 1:59.4.

“These top horses can do that - run 55 halves with impunity - but Maurice (McKendry) said he felt like a different animal.”

Green said Copy That had continued to thrive since.

“I worked him over a mile in 2:01 on Tuesday and he felt pretty good.”

Copy That runs a brave third behind Amazing Dream and Spankem in the Auckland Cup. PHOTO: Megan Liefting.Most of all Green is hoping Copy That can break his Group One duck in the Taylor Mile for Melbourne owners Merv and Meg Butterworth.

“He’s never won a Group One race. He was cheated out of the New Zealand Derby last year by Covid, he was unlucky not to win the Northern Derby (second to Amazing Dream after being snookered on the home turn), the New Zealand Cup was a disaster (because of the unfair start) and he should really have won the Auckland Cup (he was parked for the final two laps before running a close third to Amazing Dream and Spankem).

“Every time he’s tackled a Group One it’s been a disaster. Hopefully that ends on Friday night.”