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.
More news in Harness
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Ray: Preferential draw for top fillies makes it tough for everyone else in Golden Gait series
Patient owners hoping high-priced Colonel can salute at Cambridge on Thursday night
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.”
