Merv Butterworth with his star pacer Copy That on a trip to Alexandra Park.
Hairline fracture puts paid to Copy That’s summer campaign in Victoria
By Barry Lichter • 27 December 2021
Copy That’s summer campaign in Victoria is over after X-rays today revealed he has a hairline fracture of the splint bone in his off hind leg.
Owner Merv Butterworth confirmed any hope the horse had of contesting the A$500,000 Hunter Cup on February 5 is gone after the diagnosis at the Ballarat Veterinary Clinic.
“It’s a mild fracture and it will take a couple of weeks to see how it’s healing before we decide on our next course of action.”
Butterworth was philosophical about the injury to Copy That, whose earnings are closing in on $1 million.
“He won’t be racing for a while but that’s the horse business. It could have been a much worse injury.”
While it is too soon to know how long Copy That will be sidelined the injury casts a huge shadow over his chances of competing in New Zealand’s two biggest autumn races, the new slot race at Cambridge, the $900,000 The Race on April 14, and the $400,000 Auckland Cup on May 27.
“We haven’t even thought about that yet. We’ve got many weeks to scratch our heads.”
The premature end to Copy That’s summer campaign comes as a huge disappointment for Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green who had enjoyed a terrific run with the horse who has won 24 of his 45 starts and $964,297 in stakes.
Fractures of the second and fourth metacarpal (splint) bones are not uncommon and are far less serious than that to the cannon bone or damage to tendons and ligaments.
The splint bones are remnants of two of the five toes of prehistoric horses and run down either side of the cannon bone. They narrow as they go from the carpal or tarsal joint down, and form a “button” at the bottom or their length, a few centimetres above the fetlock.
The literature on splint bone injuries states rest is the most important factor for healing which can take anywhere from two weeks to two months. Horses must be confined to a box until inflammation has subsided.
More news in Harness
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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.”
