Debbie Green hugs driver Andre Poutama after My Copy’s big upset at Auckland tonight.
Proud owner Deb beaming as Andre gets rank outsider My Copy home at Alexandra Park
By Barry Lichter • 13 June 2024
Debbie Green knows My Copy will never set hearts aflutter like his half-brother Copy That but she just loves watching him race.
And when the big black scored his seventh win for her at Alexandra Park tonight, despite being terribly off in the ratings, she was beaming with pride.
My Copy, inner, staves off the late-closing Twista. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.“That’s so exciting. He’s no superstar but he’s a nice horse and I’ve always wanted to see what he could run over a mile.”
My Copy’s 1:55.6 wasn’t the fastest of the night but for a rating 51 horse taking on pacers rated between R57 and R65 it was a pretty decent showing.
“America will be wanting him now,” said Green whose husband Ray trains the five-year-old at Lincoln Farms.
“He deserved that,” Ray Green said. “He’s been a good thing beaten in his last couple of starts.
“I can’t believe nobody bought him when he had him on the market for $40,000. He’s closing in on $100,000 now.
“If you had him in Australia you’d get a living off him as he’s such a tractable bugger.”
Greg Pope, representing race sponsor IRT, shares a joke with trainer Ray Green.My Copy took his bankroll to $87,860 tonight winning the IRT. Your Horse Our Passion Pace, and despite being the rank outsider in the seven-horse field paying $14.20, Green had rated him a chance if he got the right trip from the pole.
And while driver Andre Poutama had to hunt him out at the start to hold the trail, and My Copy looked to be struggling across the top bend, he responded like the trooper he is.
“He’s so laid back you’ve got to make him do it,” said Poutama, pinch-hitting for holidaying regular driver Maurice McKendry.
“If you let him get away with it, he will.”
Debbie Green greets My Copy after his seventh win.But under Poutama’s urgings, My Copy reeled off a 56.1 last half and 27 quarter to claim a head win over Twista, with the pacemaking Hugotastic a weakening third, three-quarters of a length away.
And Debbie Green was there on the track to meet her hero on his return, no doubt still picturing the hairy little midget by Highview Tommy she bought for $3000 at a weanling sale when he was just five months old.
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: The Night Fox
5.44pm
“From a good front line draw Harry can run off the gate and find the front. He’s shown he’s got the speed to get there. And if he can go 2:42 again, or quicker, I thought he’d be a very good winning chance. It’s an easier field than the one he beat last time. He’s trained well this week.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.09pm
“She goes down to Cambridge for the first time so it’s a big drop in class. She also goes a lot better left-handed so I thought from the good draw she could run top three.”
Race 3: Lincoln Maree
6.34pm
“She paced a 1:56.7 mile in beating the amateurs last start but it looks like she’ll need a bit of luck from the draw this time. The two inside her like to lead so she could end up three fence or outside them. I’ll leave it up to Harry to get the right trip.”
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.34pm
“He’s a place chance. He likes bowling along but from five it’s hard to say where he’ll end up. He’s very consistent and he paced 2:42.3 last time so I can absolutely see him in the money.”
Race 6: Lincoln Linda
8.04pm
“She was in a very strong R40 to R48 race last time at Auckland against horses like Alecto, All Of Me and Cyclone Rebel, and she clocked 2:41.1, so back to Cambridge where she won her first race, and a much easier R38 to R40 field, she’s got to be a good winning chance. She’s best in front if Fergie can get there.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
4.42pm
“I’m not holding my breath with him. We won’t count that last run, when the leader went ballistic and he couldn’t get into the race, but he’s not well placed here.”
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.09pm
“She’s racing really well and this looks a bit easier than last time when she was trapped in the breeze in a strong field. I can’t see how she won’t be right in the fight.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
7.34pm
“I didn’t know what to expect on debut but she was very brave. I’m picking she’ll go well again but she’ll need a bit of luck - drawn the second line we’re at the mercy of others. We’ll poke her out and see. At least she won’t get parked this time.”
Race 10: Lincoln Wave
9.07pm
“We’re racing the best horses now but he’ll definitely go better than last time. Tony (Herlihy) said he felt super across the top but once in the straight he flattened out, which I half expected. I had him scoped afterwards just to make sure he was all right but he was short of a run, that’s all.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
9.07pm
“He went super when third last week and Fergie said just wait ’til he gets over 2700 metres, he’ll be a monster. He’s turned into a proper racehorse. From four there’ll be a bit of urgency early and hopefully he can get a suck along and get some of it.”
