Don’t expect Copy That to simply spank’ em in Friday night’s Franklin Cup - he’ll need luck

Copy That can beat Spankem if he gets the right run in Friday night’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup but you won’t catch trainer Ray Green making any such bold prediction.

“You can’t go out there thinking you’re going to smash them,” says Green.

“These are the best horses he’s going to run into (barring Self Assured). It’s different from flogging the lesser lights. When you’re racing the best you need to drive with a bit of respect.”

Copy That’s army of fans experienced first hand in last week’s Summer Cup how the run of the race can beat even the hottest of favourites.

Hampered early, Copy That settled a long way from leader Tommy Lincoln and, after being humped out three wide with 900 metres to run, had to sit there with no cover for the last lap.

Driver Maurice McKendry described the horse’s effort to run his stablemate to one and three-quarter lengths as “huge” and the clock reflected that, his last mile of the 2200 metres cut out in 1:53.3.

Copy That’s closing sectionals of 54.4 and 27.7 were the best in the race but the result showed that even with that kind of speed you still need some luck in the running.

“I’m not making any predictions for this race except to say I hope he’s improved with the run last week and goes well again.

“But it won’t be easy. Spankem is on his game at the moment and is always hard to beat. And Thefixer is a nice horse too.”

Copy That will need some luck from the 30 metre mark in Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup. PHOTO: Megan Leifting/Race Images.Spankem, second in last month’s New Zealand Cup and a last start winner of the New Zealand Free-for-all, doesn’t boast the best of records at Alexandra Park but the two wins he has scored from eight starts on the track were his last two - in the 2019 Taylor Mile and Messenger.

He is a reliable beginner, with five wins and seven placings from 13 tries behind the tapes.

It’s that ability to step which could define Copy That’s Franklin Cup performance but you can’t blame him for not making a better beginning last week when he was hampered by South Coast Arden, who swung sideways.

South Coast Arden turned in one of the runs of the race afterwards, galloping for more than 100 metres, settling a long way from the leaders, being held up three deep on the home turn and still finishing just two necks behind Copy That. He was timed to run his last mile in a white hot 1:52.7.

“He’s not that good a starter,” says Green. “He flattened out close to home last week but I could see him finishing second and looking unlucky.”

Green rates Tommy Lincoln only a runner’s chance given he is unproven over 2700 metres.

“If he gets a nice trip like last week he could hopefully be in the hunt.”

American Dealer won’t get a cruisy run in front like last week in the Northern Stakes. PHOTO: Megan Leifting/Race Images.American Dealer, on the other hand, is expected to be very hard to beat in the Alabar Classic earlier in the night, despite drawing wide in the seven-horse field.

“When has he ever gone bad? If he doesn’t win or run second he’s had a tough trip.”

Green was delighted with the way the horse won last week’s Northern Stakes.

“He wasn’t exactly over-taxed in winning and David didn’t pull the hood. It was a clinical run.”

Green knows American Dealer ($3.50) won’t be gifted an easy lead like last week with both Pace N Pride ($3.80) and B D Joe ($2.80) expected to make a play for the front.

“I think B D Joe will cross the ones inside him. He’s a nice horse who will be hard to beat.

“These small fields can be funnily run races and we could end up sitting parked. It depends on what Natalie does with Pace N Pride.”

Green says it’s hard to know exactly what Themightyserina ($19) might do in the last race.

“She’s an unknown quantity. But we saw at Cambridge that’s she’s a bit inexperienced.”

Debuting on December 3, the little filly was driven out of the gate but galloped into the first bend, making a good recovery to run third.

“I’d say it was just a bit of stage fright. She probably got a bit stressed with all those horses around her.

“I’d like to think she’s a competitive maiden who shouldn’t be far away. She doesn’t have to be super to figure against this lot.

“I expect her to go well from a really good draw but if she just gets round and does everything right I’ll be happy.”