Merv the only calm one as super Copy That unleashes supersonic home stretch burst

Copy That had punters jumping up out of their armchairs all over New Zealand tonight when he unleashed his supersonic home stretch sprint at Alexandra Park - but not owner Merv Butterworth.

Sitting at home in Melbourne watching the race, Butterworth told wife Meg he thought it was going to be tough for the horse to win after he settled three back on the outer over the mile.

“He was out of his comfort zone back there and I knew he’d sprint home well but the rest was just a hope and a prayer.”

If Butterworth was indeed doing any praying someone heard the call as when driver Maurice McKendry hooked Copy That off the back of Need You Now 200 metres from home the response was electric.

The five length deficit at the 400 which at first looked a tall order soon became a done deal as Copy That whistled past his rivals to nail Hot And Trecherous by half a neck.

The excitement of the finish had course commentator Aaron White urging Aucklanders to give the New Zealand Cup winner a cheer but while happy, Butterworth was unmoved.

Merv and Meg Butterworth … have won more than 1000 races.“I’ve been doing this for 20 years and won more than 1000 races,” he said. “I don’t even keep a tally any more, what’s the point? So long as I earn more than I spend …”

Butterworth was, however, excited at the prospect of Copy That arriving in Melbourne on December 15 in such fine order, trainer Ray Green obviously right on top of his fitness in his first start since his cup day triumph 24 days ago.

“He’ll be fit for the Cranbourne Cup all right. It should be Red Rover (as in All over, Red Rover).”

Butterworth, who has sponsored the Cranbourne race for the last 10 years, said he had been a little concerned before tonight’s race given Copy That had failed a couple of times fresh-up.

“But that was mainly because of cowboys in the race.”

Green admitted to a few nerves before the race as well.

“You always think the worst before a race so it was a nice result. I think it shows we made the right decision not to tackle the Free-for-All after the cup and to keep him fresh and happy.

“Two races in the week is almost suicidal. You’re asking tired horses coming out of the cup to race again in three days and it guts them.”

Maurice McKendry brings back Copy That after a 10 out of 10 drive. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Green said it didn’t take much to keep Copy That on top of his game and he now only had to keep the horse healthy and sound to be very competitive at Canbourne.

“We might have a trial before he goes but he’s pretty fit.

“I was a bit worried when I saw him drop slightly off the back of Need You Now at the 400 and I was hoping there was nothing wrong with him. They sort of surged away from him for a second but he can be a bit lazy like that.

“But he wasn’t that far off them turning for home and I thought he could still round them up. Once in the straight when Maurice let him down he was just too fast. Maurice said again he was amazed at what high speed the horse has but you’ll remember he did something similar in Brisbane.”

McKendry plotted the perfect path for Copy That round the bend, not panicking and switching three wide until he had all but straightened up, saving valuable metres.

Copy That’s closing sectionals would have been considerably faster than the 55.6 and 27 run from the front, with his overall time 1:54 flat.

Fire And Delight, outer, comes up the barest of noses short in the Sires’ Stakes Fillies’ heat. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Pencil line away from upset

Copy That’s winning margin, while relatively close, wasn’t as close as the previous race when a two-year-old the Butterworths bred and race, Fire And Delight, went within a pencil line of upsetting in the Sires’ Stakes’ Fillies’ heat.

That finish had Butterworth more animated - “With Copy That you know what you’ve got. There’s no mystery about him, like with this filly.

“I swear we’d won it on the post,” said Butterworth after watching Fire And Delight and driver Todd MacFarlane close fast on First Rose.

Rank outsider in the nine horse field, Fire And Delight had been at odds of $41 when Butterworth put a lazy $5 over $20 on the filly, unable to help himself.

“What a fabulous result - she’s better than I thought.”

Butterworth gave away the filly’s dam Queen Of Fire to big Kiwi owner Trevor Casey a couple of years ago, saying he was too old to breed any more.

Queen Of Fire’s first three foals have all been successful, the first two Bettor Under Fire winning six times and Quick As Fire seven.

“But I’ll die before any more of her foals get to the races. I’m closer to 80 than 79.”