Self Assured, outer, will be Copy That’s main rival again but you can’t discount Better Eclipse, head showing, after his big Taylor Mile.
Message from Ray: Copy That can cop the Messenger no problem, he’s one tough dude
By Barry Lichter • 26 April 2023
Punters needn’t be concerned that Copy That will be having his fourth race in as many weeks at Auckland on Friday night.
Though last week’s conqueror Akuta will sit out this week’s $90,000 Messenger at Alexandra Park, trainer Ray Green says his little champ is bright and ready to go again.
“We considered missing the race but he’s pulled up so well. He could have raced the day after the Taylor Mile.
“He’s got such a natural, strong constitution, he can cop whatever you dish up to him. Nothing worries him. Some horses would curl up with the same programme but he’s very resilient.”
Green says with the $180,000 Auckland Cup not run until May 26, Copy That has plenty of time to recover, the final lead-up not until May 19 when the $45,000 Roy Purdon Memorial (2200m) is scheduled.
Green is more concerned about how he will keep Copy That in top trim after the cup, with no races scheduled here until his proposed trip to Queensland for the July winter carnival.
“I think the carnival-type scenario they’re trying to create up here isn’t very smart - where you have all the good races in the same five to six week window and then there’s nothing.
“They should spread the races over a longer period. How do you keep them up to the plate and get them built up again with no races?”
Green says he and owners Merv and Meg Butterworth won’t decide on Copy That’s exact targets in Brisbane until after the cup but it was possible he could travel over early.
The races carded include:
- June 17: The A$31,768 Lucky Creed (2680m)
- June 24: The A$106,070 Redcliffe Gold Cup (2613m)
- July 1: The A$30,160 Wondai’s Mate (1660m)
- July 8: The A$53,040 Mr Feelgood (2138m)
- July 15: The A$200,000 Sunshine Sprint (1660m) and
- July 22: The A$400,000 Blacks A Fake (2680m)
Green says he has the luxury of being to fly in whenever it suits as Copy That is not the type of horse who needs a week to get over a long trip.
“He accepts it easily. He eats everything put in front of him no matter what. He’s a lot tougher than he looks.”
Copy That will need to be tough again this week, even though several of his usual sparring partners won’t be there.
Green says he won’t miss Nicholas Cage who drained so much petrol out of Copy That in the first 400 metres of the Taylor Mile.
But that’s not to say the opening split of the longer 2700 metre Messenger won’t also be taxing with Australian Better Eclipse and Kango drawn inside him.
“Kango could blast out and we don’t want to have to wrestle the lead off him and then have the others maul us.
“Copy That can do whatever you ask him to do but he doesn’t have to lead. I wouldn’t worry if he settled in behind them somewhere. Even if he sat last he wouldn’t be far off them (in a small field).”
While Green respects Self Assured most, he is also wary of Better Eclipse who was huge last week, beaten only a nose and half a neck and clocking a sizzzling 54.2 despite racing three wide with no cover for the last lap. By comparison Copy That clocked 56.1.
More news in Harness
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Ray: Preferential draw for top fillies makes it tough for everyone else in Golden Gait series
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.”
