Derby rivals will have their hands full with Copy That who’s too good for the topliners now

Copy That again showed he is in terrific order for the upcoming Northern Derby when he easily coped with a field of topliners at Saturday’s Pukekohe workouts.

Copy That trailed Dina Brown in the rating 62 and faster heat over 2500 metres and was never out of second gear for driver David Butcher to win by a nose. There was a length and a half to Star Galleria and a nose to Belle Of Montana, with Triple Eight fifth.

In steady rain, Copy That cut out the trip in 3:16.6, a mile rate of 2:06.6, closing in 59.4 and 27.5.

Butcher reported the colt was nice and relaxed and did only what he had to.

“That’s how you want them,” said trainer Ray Green. “I can’t fault him and he hasn’t had to stretch himself in his last two workouts.”

Green says given the opposition Copy That has faced recently, Friday night’s Northern Derby Prelude could be a soft race for him.

Green was delighted with Copy That’s fresh-up run on February 14 when he sat parked most of the way and finished a close third to Check In and Gambit.

Green will also enter Tommy Lincoln, Man Of Action and possibly Hampton Banner, who is under offer and may not start.

Lincoln Farms will line up six horses in the two Young Guns heats on Friday night, all of whom trialled on Saturday.

Prestige Stride, who will start in the fillies’ heat, ran particularly well yesterday, closing late for Andre Poutama to be only two necks behind stablemates American Dealer and Franco Nandor, with She’s No Lady fourth.

The 1609 metres was run in 2:06, with the last 800 metres in 60 and 400 in 27.8.

American Dealer ranges alongside Franco Nandor turning for home.Zachary Butcher was full of praise for newcomer American Dealer, an American Ideal colt out of Maddison’s Delight who will debut on Friday.

“You wouldn’t find a nicer horse to drive. He’s a real tradesman and gentleman. He lacks a bit of high speed at the moment but he’s got everything else - gate speed and manners.

“I swished up down the back, sat on him round the bend because the track was quite heavy with all the rain, gave him a little flick at the top of the straight and he held them well.”

Franco Nandor, who led, wasn’t chased along by David Butcher and fought on well for second.

Mr Fantastic leads with the Lincoln Farms trio in hot pursuit, Bondi Shake (Andre Poutama) in the trail, Vanquish Stride (David Butcher) alongside him and Platinum Stride (Andrew Drake) sweeping round widePlatinum Stride much faster

The other open two-year-old heat was run much faster, the Steven Reid-trained debut winner Mr Fantastic leading all the way in 2:02.9 to beat the Lincoln Farms’ trio Platinum Stride, Vanquish Stride and Bondi Shake, all of whom will start in the sixth Young Guns heat on Friday.

Platinum Stride finished the best for Drake, sprinting up fast three wide to run the winner to a head.

Vanquish Stride battled away well for third, a length back, with Bondi Shake two and a half lengths away fourth after bring left flat-footed when they sprinted.

Newcomers Brian Christopher and Apieceoflou both performed satisfactorily in the two-year-old learners’ heats.

Brian Christopher runs home nicely along the markers.Brian Christopher, a Bettor’s Delight - Kamwood Elsie colt, was having his first look at the mobile gate and in a tame affair, where all four horses finished together, he came up the markers to finish a head, half head and a nose behind winner Riverman Sam in 2:10.5, home in 61.9 and 29.5.

“He’s a work in progress,” said Green. “I don’t think he’s going to make a two-year-old but we’ll qualify him in the next week or two and then give him a break.”

Sweet Lou two-year-old Apieceoflou trailed ’til the 600 when David Butcher popped out to park and he paced well to the line, a nose behind Melanion, in a sedate 2:12.3, home in 64.3 and 29.8.

“He’ll go round like that for another couple of weeks then we’ll also qualify him and turn him out.”

Zealand Star bowls along in the lead for David Butcher.Zealand Star again trialled well, leading his 2050 metre heat and not driven out by Butcher to run a head second to Delightful Major. The trip was run in a 2:03.3 mile rate with the closing sectionals in 57.9 and 27, good time in the conditions.

“He got in a bit on the corners,” said Green. “He struggles a bit right-handed. There isn’t a suitable race for him on Friday but we’ve got to start somewhere so I’ll run him in the free-for-all.” The Group III race is the Lincoln Farms’ Founders Cup (mobile 2200m).