Ray Green has been keeping busy working horses at Yabby Dam Farms outside Ballarat.
Hooray: Ray coming home in three weeks and Copy That might not be far behind him
By Barry Lichter • 9 February 2022
Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green is counting down the days until he can fly home - but he hasn’t been idle while locked out of New Zealand.
Green, who has been stuck in Victoria since the end of December when Copy That fractured a splint bone, is booked to return on a March 2 flight, under the Government’s new isolate-at-home regime.
And there’s a chance Copy That won’t be far behind him to continue his rehab at Lincoln Farms after another excellent vet report.
Green, 76, will be fighting fit when he rejoins the team at Pukekohe after a stint helping out trainer Anton Golino at Pat Driscoll’s showcase Yabby Dam Farms which covers 263ha on the outskirts of Ballarat.
The 50 metre pool at Yabby Dam Farms on the outskirts of Ballarat.“I’ve been here for the last three weeks, driving up to eight horses in a morning - it’s keeping me off the streets.
“They’ve got some beautiful animals here, with international pedigrees, and I’ve driven Im Ready Jet a couple of times. She’d be one of the best trotters in the country.”
Im Ready Jet, who has won 16 of 36 starts, finished third in last weekend’s Great Southern Star Final after a sensational recovery from an early break in a heat.
Yabby Dam Farms, where Aucklander Jack MacKinnon co-trained until last August, isn’t far from Laura Dixon’s Dowling View equine rehabilitation centre where Copy That has been resting since his injury.
“The experts were very happy with his latest X-ray and (respected vet) Alastair MacLean predicts he’ll be good to go home by the end of the month.
“It will be up to the people at the Ballarat Vet Clinic and (owner) Merv Butterworth of course but everything is looking good.
“He’ll be X-rayed again in a couple of weeks and we should know then what we’re doing. But I think it would be best for him to finish his rehab at home and then we can start him back training.”
Copy That’s New Zealand Cup win was the highlight of a memorable season.Outstanding season
While nothing went right on Copy That’s aborted summer campaign, Harness Racing New Zealand figures show just what a roll Green, Butterworth and the horse had been on right until the last month of the extended 17 month season.
Copy That seemingly topped the list of all performers in New Zealand, earning $638,142 in 22 starts, the result of 13 wins and five placings. (His final start at Cranbourne is not listed but earned him $1500.)
Among his wins were three at Group I level, the New Zealand Cup, Taylor Mile and Messenger, plus three at Group II.
But when Australian earnings are added to America-bound Amazing Dream’s tally of $315,961, she becomes the season’s heroine. Her 10 starts in Australia after the Harness Jewels saw her record four wins and five placings and earn another A$447,350.
Next closest on money won was Self Assured with $631,562 from eight wins and, incredibly, just $557 behind, was the outstanding trotter Sundees Son with $631,005.
Three trotters made the top dozen, the others Bolt For Brilliance with $340,605 and three-year-old Five Wise Men, winner of nine of his 11 starts, with $229,809.
The top dozen money earners in the extended 17 month season.
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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.”
