Copy That on the receiving end of Messenger walk fest but Ray and Blair happy with champ
As soon as commentator Aaron White revealed Self Assured got away with the middle half of tonight’s Messenger in 65.4, trainer Ray Green knew Copy That was in trouble.
The sectional, which most maidens could beat in their sleep at Alexandra Park, signalled those back in the field had no chance.
And it proved insurmountable even for Copy That, on Self Assured’s back, as he came up three-quarters of a length short in the home stretch drag race.
“It was always going to be tricky to get past Self Assured after Nat walked them,” Green said. “There’s nothing between the two horses.”
Driver Blair Orange, who handed up to Self Assured 1800 metres from home, was equally as matter-of-fact.
“Anything that gets a soft run in front like that is hard to beat. You can’t grow wings and fly.”
Self Assured was flying as it was, Natalie Rasmussen only having to dial it up when Smiffy’s Terror roared round to press the issue 800 metres from home, reeling off a sizzling 53.9.
“I was happy with him,” Orange said of Copy That. “There was no speed in the middle part which didn’t help but he travelled great, kind, didn’t pull.
“And to his credit he was just winding up again at the finish and they ran home in 26.9.”
The final sectionals may have been electric but overall the time of 3:18.8 was average, all of 5.7 seconds slower than Majestic Cruiser’s clocked in winning the Messenger last year, albeit that was a New Zealand record.
That made the run of Australian Better Eclipse a bottler again, as he sat parked for the last 1200 metres and was just a neck behind Copy That at the finish.
Green said he couldn’t complain about the run of Copy That, only the reduced stake of $80,550 for the Group I race.
But he was pleased to see his little champ breach the $2 million mark in earnings, the $13,950 runners-up prize boosting his lifetime tally to $2,004,476.
Green said he would now just keep Copy That ticking over in preparation for the $180,000 Auckland Cup on May 26.
He was undecided whether the horse would contest the $45,000 Roy Purdon Memorial a week earlier, given the 2200 metre stand was hardly the best lead-up to the 3200 metre cup.
“But we don’t have to make any decisions yet, we’ve got three weeks for that.”
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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.”