Talented Victorian driver Nathan Jack has been chosen to drive star Kiwi Copy That.
New driver for Copy That - Nathan Jack engaged to pilot NZ Cup champ in Victoria
By Barry Lichter • 16 August 2022
In a coup for the connections of star pacer Copy That, owner Merv Butterworth tonight engaged top Victorian horseman Nathan Jack to drive the horse throughout his upcoming Victorian campaign.
Butterworth confirmed the horse, who resumes at Auckland on Thursday night, would be flown to Melbourne on August 31.
Jack will begin his partnership with the New Zealand Cup winner in the A$100,000 Melton Classic on September 10 and has committed to driving the horse in each of his runs in the state, with his main mission the A$300,000 Victoria Cup on October 8.
Butterworth said he and trainer Ray Green would be guided by the horse’s performances and condition in then deciding whether to return home for the New Zealand Cup on November 8 or remain in Victoria for the Interdomion series which starts on November 26.
“I’ve employed Nathan many times - I took him to Tasmania to drive in the cup there once - and he’s a very good driver,” Butterworth said.
“I’m very pleased he’s agreed to drive him for the whole campaign in Victoria, including the Interdoms if he contests that series.”
Copy That is regularly driven in New Zealand by Maurice McKendry when he races in the north and Blair Orange when he trips to the South Island.
On his successful Queensland campaign of 2021 he was expertly handled by expat Kiwi Anthony Butt and in his sole start at Cranbourne last December he was driven by Chris Svanosio who also stabled the horse.
Jack has been hitting the headlines recently as stand-in driver for champion mare Ladies In Red and has long been a top reinsman, regularly featuring in the top half dozen drivers in the state.
His career stalled in September, 2018, when he was outed after a police race fixing probe into a race at Cobram in 2015.
But last November, in an appeal to the County Court, he, stablehand Lisa Bartley and fellow driver Mark Pitt were judged to have no case to answer and all charges were dismissed.
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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.”
