Blair coming north on Thursday night to drive Copy That who’s officially a millionaire!

Leading reinsman Blair Orange will make a special trip north to drive New Zealand’s newest millionaire pacer at Auckland on Thursday night even though trainer Ray Green isn’t expecting Copy That to win.

Copy That has had an easy time since his four-start Victorian campaign when he slipped into the record books un-noticed, becoming the 57th Kiwi harness horse to win $1 million in stakes.

In four starts, Copy That banked A$32,180 which, when converted to New Zealand dollars, gives him $36,400 and a career tally of $1,004,976.

Green isn’t expecting to win the lion’s share of Thursday night’s $25,000 stake but he was forced to find another pilot for Copy That after his regular northern driver Maurice McKendry elected to stick with Hot And Treacherous.

“Maurice stuck to Bunty’s (Hughes) horse and I can understand that. He’s only the North Island driver of Copy That and they’ve got cup aspirations with Hot And Treacherous.

“We could be in the same situation next week as well if we run at Cambridge.”

Green said it was logical to ask Orange to trip north, considering he is the designated southern driver for Copy That and will handle him in the $600,000 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 8.

“He’ll go well but I’m not expecting him to win, just finish it off nicely. The 55 metre handicap is daunting and we’re not going to gut the horse and send him on a search and destroy mission, things will have to fall into place.”

Green said Orange will obviously be trying to win but starting 15 metres behind Hot And Treacherous and 35 metres astern of Taipo over 2200 metres meant everything would have to go his way to score.

“You can’t predict how the race will be run. They might go like hell up front and try to make it hard for those off the pace or they may walk and sprint up the straight.”

Green fast worked Copy That on Tuesday and was pleased with how he felt.

“We didn’t go excessively fast but he did it well. He’s in good shape.”

It’s been just 11 days since Copy That last raced, when he ran a close fourth in the A$300,000 Victoria Cup (2240m) at Melton, running a faster closing sectional than the three who beat him home, Rock N Roll Doo, Honolua Bay and Better Eclipse.

Theres nothing in Thursday night’s field of that calibre, Copy That a rating 119 horse, Hot And Treacherous rating 90 and the next highest Last Tango In Heaven (R74). But Green knows how hard it is for horses off long back marks to win at Auckland over sprint trips so he’s not setting the bar too high this week.

“We’ll get round as best we can but do it in a professional way. We’ll certainly take the win if it comes.”

Bad draws

Most of the rest of Lincoln Farms’ runners on the night have had their chances reduced by bad barrier draws, most notably Frankie Major in race eight, the final northern Sires’ Stakes heat.

Frankie Major needs to win or run close to earn a spot in the $170,000 Woodlands NZ Sires Stakes Final at Addington on November 8, a race Green believes he deserves a crack at.

“Given the right circumstances in Christchurch he’s quite capable of getting money. He’s run Merlin close a couple of times.

“I wouldn’t expect him to beat Merlin or Mark’s (Purdon) horse Don’t Stop Dreaming but he would be competitive.”

Frankie Major tired to sixth in the Cambridge Sires’ Stakes heat three weeks ago when used up to lead by stand-in driver Todd Mitchell.

But Green tips an improved showing on Thursday when David Butcher’s more conservative style is expected to suit the horse better.

He will just need some luck drawn six, outside Seve and Miki Shan who beat him home at Cambridge.

My Copy … has drawn the outside of the gate in the opening race.My Copy is another who will need plenty of luck when Orange steers him from the outside of the gate in the opening race.

Copy That’s little half brother ran last in his October 7 outing after a mid-race move saw him stuck three wide, unable to reach the parked spot, then forced to ease.

That glitch spoiled his otherwise consistent form line but Green said he’d need a suck into the race to threaten this week.

“I can’t see him charging for the front from eight. His best chance will be to go back and hope for a nice run.”

Lady Luck has deserted Whiz On Bye in both his last two starts suggesting he’s at least some hope in the third race from a good front row draw of three.

“I wouldn’t read too much into his last two runs. He’s had genuine excuses. Last time he was hampered at the start by a breaker and three wide outside the speed for the last lap and the time before he was wiped out in a melee at the 400.

“He’s no star but he’s going to win a race.”

Major Grace, from four on the second row in the same race, will also need a big dose of luck.

“She’s an honest filly but the draw looks like it will have her measure on Thursday. We threw her in the deep end last time (against the top fillies in the Nevele R fillies heat) but before that she was a good third at Cambridge.”