Copy That now outright NZ Cup favourite after Self Assured blows it again in cup trial
By Barry Lichter • 6 November 2020
Lincoln Farms’ stable star Copy That is now the outright $3.10 favourite for Tuesday’s $540,000 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup.
The new market was framed after Wednesday’s cup trial at Addington and reflects the fact long time cup favourite Self Assured made yet another poor beginning from a stand and Copy That paced away faultlessly.
Self Assured, who has drifted from $2.70 to $3.20, never looked like stepping cleanly and galloped for 14 strides, only getting into a pace when driver Mark Purdon angled him onto the back of Vintage Cheddar on the markers.
Self Assured started in the middle of the seven horse field with much more room than he will have on Tuesday when 10 horses will breast the front tape - from eight he will have seven horses inside him and two outside him.
Purdon took the horse off the unruly list for the cup, gambling on making a safe beginning from the front, rather than having to start wide out and just behind the second row horses.
Copy That, drawn the ace, is the only one of the favoured runners drawn the front - third and fourth favourites Spankem and Classie Brigade are both on the second row.
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Phone home - ET trotter Whats Up The Hill blasts off with narrow Escape at Auckland
Ray needs good results from blood test and gear change to repel southern fillies’ charge
Fergie takes the initiative and Onyx Shard delivers again for the galloping buddies
Our runners this week
Friday night at Auckland
What’s Up The Hill.
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm
“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm
“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm
“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”
