Copy That bounces out of lead war and could make surprise back-up at Melton next week

Copy That could back up at Melton on Saturday night after seemingly taking no harm from his campaign opener in Melbourne.

Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green reports the horse ate up everything last night after finishing eighth in the Caduceus Classic and was bouncing around today.

“I’ll see how he is tomorrow but we could tackle the Gammalite Free-for-all instead of the Kilmore Cup a week later.”

Green believes the A$24,000 Melton race, over the same 2240 metre trip as the Victoria Cup, might be a better lead-in than stretching out to the 2690 metres at Kilmore.

Copy That’s final prep race would then be the A$50,000 Smoken Up Sprint (1720m) on October 1, a week before his main A$300,000 mission.

Green says he wasn’t disappointed in Copy That’s run last night when driver Nathan Jack engaged in a war, three wide, to eventually claim the front in a 26.7 opening quarter.

Copy That is working overtime early, three wide outside Tango Tara and Torrid Saint.“He had to burn too hard early and simply wasn’t race fit, especially for a 1:50.7 mile rate.

“I can’t understand why Kate Gath ran us like that on Tango Tara, and wouldn’t let Torrid Saint cross. She paid the price (beating only $151 outsider Rackemup Tigerpie home).”

The hectic tempo saw all the top four fancies drop out, including the warm favourite Honolua Bay who sat parked and weakened to fifth.

That left the finish to four late closing outsiders, Rock N Roll Doo ($34), Max Delight ($51), Bulletproof Boy ($101) and Willie Go West ($41).

“I knew Copy That wouldn’t be on top of his game in only his second run in nine months. I had a gut feeling that on minimal trials we’d be underdone.

“But this is the process we had to go through. That was the whole idea of coming over here early to get races to fit him for the New Zealand Cup. We couldn’t get them at home without going south.

“Nathan was worried about Honolua Bay getting in front of him early - because he was following out potential leader Torrid Saint - so he decided to push the button and go forward.

“But Nathan said he was in trouble at the 500m so he just sat on him and didn’t knock him around.”

Stewards ordered Copy That and Honolua Bay to be scoped afterwards and Green was pleased when his charge came up clean.

“The horse looks fabulous and we’ll move on to the next race.”

Argyle staves off higher rated rivals to score at Melton.Where next for Argyle?

Green is today looking at programmes to decide where to go next with Argyle who opened his Victoria Derby campaign with a tough win two races later.

Driven forward from the pole position, Argyle was taken on aggressively by former Kiwi Gilligan’s Island and Jack eventually relented to take the trail.

Gilligan’s Island started throwing out SOS signals before the home turn and when Jack asked Argyle to improve up the markers he responded bravely to score by 1.5 metres in a busy four-way finish.

“He was drawing away at the finish,” Green said.

“He might lack a yard of high speed but he’s pretty game and you can’t fault what he’s done recently.

“He turned the corner a month or so ago and that win justifies bringing him over here.”

With five wins and a second in his last six starts, and A$11,400 pocketed from last night’s win, the horse’s record now reads four wins and two seconds from 11 starts for $41,102 in stakes.

A $210,000 yearling by Bettor’s Delight out of Royal Gem, Argyle is raced by Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street along with David Turner, Barry and Marie Jones and the Friday Frenzy Racing Syndicate.

That syndicate comprising Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton, Peter Jeffares, Bernie McCahill, Mike Ledger and Rob Redwood, chipped in $26,000 to buy 20% of the horse when it was offered by John Street to raise money for the Stroke Foundation at a charity fundraiser in November, 2020.