Leading driver Blair Orange salutes as Copy That makes a meal of his rivals in last year’s Trotting Cup. PHOTO: AJ Berry/Race Images.
Merv: Count Copy That out if the cup goes to a handicap - I’d be nuts to risk his safety
By Barry Lichter • 27 July 2022
Owner Merv Butterworth is adamant he will not risk the safety of star pacer Copy That if he has to start from a 10 metre handicap in November’s New Zealand Trotting Cup.
Both Butterworth and Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green say last year’s cup winner will not line up if the insanity of changing the race to handicap conditions is not rescinded by Harness Racing New Zealand.
Butterworth says the $600,000 stake is irrelevant, the safety of his horse comes first and having him stand so close to two lines of horses in front of him would place Copy That in real danger.
“There’ll be a full line of horses off the front and some on the second line and the 10 metre position will be right behind that. I’d be nuts to want to be involved in that.
Merv and Meg Butterworth greet their champion at Alexandra Park.“Why would we risk having the horse right up their backsides? You only have to remember what happened at the start two years ago to know how badly that could end.
“I can just see it now, the starter will ask the field to turn round once more - how can you do that with 14 horses? - and it will be mayhem.”
Green says HRNZ risks reducing harness racing’s biggest showpiece to little more than a country cup by enforcing the best horses start from handicaps and seeing them drop out because of it.
“They might as well run the race at Motukarara if Copy That, Self Assured and Majestic Cruiser don’t run.
“It’s a tough enough race as it is but from a handicap they can’t win - you give your horse a hard race for no money.
“I’ve got to manage this horse for the next 12 months, and I’m not going to run him in the cup just because some lunatic thinks they can get more betting by introducing handicaps.
Ray Green … “There are plenty of other options for us.”“There are plenty of other options for us. We can go to Victoria where there are plenty of nice races. We might go for the Victoria Cup (October 8) anyway. There are big races in Perth, we have options galore.”
Green says the New Zealand Trotting Cup is supposed to be the country’s No. 1 event where the best horse wins - “It’s not a pony club operation where you give everybody a ribbon.
“It’s a Grand Circuit race where you showcase the best horses, it’s not the place to help the mediocre ones, nobody goes to see them.
“Everyone takes their chances with the draw anyway, and drawing the second line can be like being on 10 metres anyway.”
Green says unless HRNZ backs off its directive to the NZ Met - which opposes the change and has asked for a review - the only race Copy That might contest in cup week is the New Zealand Free-for-all, a race Butterworth says he has yet to win as an owner.
“Half the field will be Cup horses who are buggered and then we could go to Australia with a fresh horse.
“There are lots of races here in November and December, including the Interdoms (November 26 to December 10).”
Butterworth cannot believe HRNZ went along with the belief of its general manager of racing, marketing and communications, Catherine McDonald, that punters would open their wallets more if the best horses were handicapped.
‘“How does that improve the race? Punters aren’t that stupid.
Catherine McDonald … decision to make five major races handicaps was a unanimous one by the HRNZ board.Standing starts a blight on punters
“If HRNZ are fair dinkum about building up punter confidence they should do away with standing starts. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the Bong Bong Cup (run by a picnic racing club in New South Wales) or New Zealand Cup, standing starts are a blight on punters.
“Five years ago Victoria banned all standing starts and their turnovers have never stopped going up.”
While some traditionalists might want to retain the old ways, and point, say, to the great win by Cardigan Bay from 54 yards in 1963, he says harness racing has changed dramatically in the last 60 years.
“The oldtimers don’t punt anyway. Catherine McDonald only has to survey 100 punters at Addington on Friday night and they’ll tell her that they prefer mobiles to stands.
“She’d find out in 10 minutes if she did a tour of 10 TABs. But, wait, she can’t, they’ve closed most of them down.”
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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.
