Copy That with driver Maurice McKendry in the Harness Jewels colours. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Latest Covid lockdown could leave Merv out in the cold again for Copy That’s Jewels tilt
By Barry Lichter • 27 May 2021
Victoria’s latest Covid-19 lockdown threatens to stop Copy That’s owner Merv Butterworth from coming to New Zealand for the Harness Jewels on Sunday week but he’s still hoping for some luck at tomorrow’s barrier draw.
Butterworth and his wife Meg had been booked to fly from Melbourne to Auckland on Wednesday in plenty of time for the Cambridge marquee event for which Copy That is a commanding $2.30 favourite in the $100,000 Four-Year-Old Emerald.
And with Lincoln Farms set to line up four other horses on the day - American Dealer, Tommy Lincoln, Arden’s Horizon and Sugar Apple - a big day is in store.
But Victoria will go into a seven-day circuit-breaker lockdown tonight after 11 new community cases of Covid-19 were announced today, bringing the total for the new cluster to 34.
And with the latest outbreak the extremely contagious Indian variant, and more than 10,000 primary or secondary contacts identified, Butterworth fears the lockdown might be extended further than next Friday morning.
Butterworth says he had been looking forward to seeing Copy That race in the end-of-season thriller after not being able to come to New Zealand during the horse’s brilliant winning streak.
It’s been nearly 15 months since Butterworth has been on track to see Copy That, the last time at Auckland on March 6, 2020 when the horse was a certainty beaten behind Amazing Dream in the Northern Derby, held up badly on the home turn before flying home late for second.
Since then Copy That has raced 19 times for 12 wins, three seconds and a third.
Copy That has enjoyed a spectacular run this season, winning 10 of his 16 races and earning $278,642, and until last Friday, had not been beaten this calendar year.
Butterworth is hoping he will still have time to get here if the transtasman bubble reopens next Friday.
“But if we can’t oh well, we won eight cups with Arden Rooney and didn’t see one of them. And the horse didn’t know we weren’t there.”
Butt drives in Brisbane
In the meantime Butterworth has been finalising plans for Copy That’s Queensland winter campaign and today revealed he had engaged top ex-pat Kiwi driver Anthony Butt to drive the horse in Brisbane.
Butterworth says he’s a great believer in horses for courses and while Maurice McKendry is a good fit for Alexandra Park, which he knows so well, and Blair Orange is an Addington expert, he will be committed to Krug for the $A250,000 The Rising Sun. It was important to have someone at the reins with local knowledge in Australia.
“You’ve got to know the local courses and the habits of the horses and drivers and there’s nobody better than Anthony Butt.”
Butt’s aggressive style should suit Copy That admirably for his four-race campaign which includes:
July 3: A$25,660 Wondai’s Mate Open NR 90+. 1660m
July 10: A$250,660 The Rising Sun. 3 & 4yo. 2138m.
July 17: A$100,000 Sunshine Sprint. Group I. 1660m.
July 24: A$250,660 Blacks A Fake. Group I. 2680m.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
