Ray: Copy That’s firing and ready enough to win the Summer Cup on Friday night

Copy That hasn’t raced for three weeks, and he has bigger fish to fry later this month, but he’s still fit enough to win Friday night’s Summer Cup, says trainer Ray Green.

Copy That ($2.10) had only three or four days off after returning from his New Zealand Cup campaign, ruined by a botched start, and Green says he has kept him up to the mark in the interim.

“He’s done a bit of work since he’s been back and, while he doesn’t have race fitness, he’s not far away. He trialled well last Saturday and pulled up really well.”

Copy That (Maurice McKendry) trails last behind Double Rocket (Todd Mitchell) in the mid stages of his workout at Pukekohe last Saturday.Copy That was clocked over his last 400 metres in 26 flat when rocketing home from the rear to be narrowly beaten by Kango, a defection from the Summer Cup.

And that was all Green needed to see to believe his horse can give second favourite Bad To The Bone ($4) a 20 metre start and South Coast Arden ($4.50) a 10 metre start over 2200 metres on Friday.

“If he steps well, he’ll be right there in a small field. I’d like to think he can win the race and enhance his fitness for next week’s Franklin Cup.”

While Green wants Copy That firing for the Lincoln Farms sponsored $47,500 Franklin Cup (2700m) on December 11, the horse won’t be at his peak until New Year’s Eve when the $200,000 Auckland Cup (3200m) is run.

Those two races won’t be on the agenda for Friday night’s race rival Tommy Lincoln ($15), however.

“He doesn’t seem to cope with 2700 metres so we’ll target the shorter races with him.

“He rarely goes a bad race so he should do well again.”

Tommy Lincoln looked a shade unlucky not to win last Friday night when, while waiting for the passing lane behind the tiring On The Cards, the winner Christianshavtime got the weigh on out wide and held him by a neck.

It will be Tommy Lincoln’s second try at a standing start. In September, behind the tapes for the first time, he galloped for the first five strides, but lost no ground.

The pace is really on as American Dealer sits parked in his workout last Saturday.American Dealer draws the outside of six in the Northern Three-Year-Old Stakes but like Copy That, Green says he is the horse to beat and has lost no fitness after his southern campaign.

American Dealer was super in downing It’s All About Faith and Krug in the final Sires’ Stakes heat at Ashburton and should have run closer in the cup day final.

American Dealer was powering home from three back on the outer when Krug, who was hanging in, suddenly cut left and took his line, forcing driver David Butcher to take hold.

“He was slightly inconvenienced and lost momentum and should have finished a length closer but it wouldn’t have changed the result.”

American Dealer ran sixth, 2.8 lengths behind It’s All About Faith, but nearly six lengths in front of Shan Noble, his only rival from the Final on Friday night.

TAB bookies nevertheless opened Shan Noble a $2 favourite and American Dealer at $3.

Better right-handed

“American Dealer is the best horse in the field and he’s actually better right-handed. Every time he’s raced left handed he’s put in some little steps on the corners.

“He’s training and trialling well and has got to be the one to beat, even from the draw.”

At last Saturday’s Pukekohe workouts, American Dealer looped the field to sit parked for the last lap and was only three-quarters of a length behind Taipo, in a fast sub 2:00 heat, running home in 56.1 and 26.5.

Stablemate Apieceoflou, the $34 outsider, will need the pace on to be any hope of placing, says Green.

While he could lob the trail from the pole, Green says the horse can’t sprint as fast as his rivals which include three All Stars’ runners.

Last week, in easier company, he sat parked for the first lap before landing the one-one, but on a very slow speed could not overhaul the leaders in what was only a dash home, closing to a half length and a nose of Delightful Catherine and Murphy’s Reward in a pedestrian 2:46.8.

Zachary Butcher takes the reins on Revitalise in the eighth race. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Upset chance

Revitalise (race 8) is another who doesn’t have explosive speed, says Green, but given the right tempo can upset.

Green fancied the horse’s chances last week after some sparkling training runs and the fifth favourite looked unlucky not to win after being snookered four deep on the markers from a slow second line start then held up turning for home.

“It’s a shame he couldn’t keep up early. Four fence was just a bridge too far but one slot closer and he would have won for sure.”

In motoring home late up the markers, Revitalise clocked easily the fastest closing sectionals in the race, coming home from the 800 in 55.3 and 400 in 27.6. At the post he was just a neck, a head and a neck from the winner’s prize.

“He’s not a brilliant horse, he needs time to wind up. If he gets that on Friday, he’s a chance.”

Top driver Zachary Butcher takes the reins with Maurice McKendry committed to May Delight.