Sorry pal, no more pigging out on grass - Ray reveals Copy That still too big in condition

Copy That can kiss goodbye to making a pig of himself on grass in his luxurious paddock at Lincoln Farms next week.

That’s one of the tweaks trainer Ray Green will make after the Four-Year-Old Emerald favourite could run only third in his heat at Cambridge’s Harness Jewels “breakfast with the stars” today.

In a sizzling mile heat run in 1:53.8, Copy That finished a neck and half a length behind Alta Wiseguy and stablemate Tommy Lincoln, driver Maurice McKendry reporting he “petered out” late.

There was a very good reason why Copy That didn’t run to the line powerfully as his earplugs popped out at the start, McKendry saying the malfunction caused the horse to pace too hard on the engine throughout, forcing him to make his run earlier than he wanted. After keeping the horse off the gate and trailing the eight-horse field, McKendry took off three wide at the 800, looping the running line horses to be parked at the 600.

Nevertheless Green said the horse was still much bigger in condition than he’d like.

“He’s a different horse now, really maturing and he’s holding his condition, which is good, but he really needed a good run like that today. And I’ll have to find him a paddock this week which hasn’t got so much grass.”

Trainer Ray Green noted Copy That’s terrific recovery rate when taking the horse for a walk after his heat today.It’s just eight days out from the Jewels and Green says he won’t be drilling the horse again, on top of his usual training regime. But Green said he would try switching the horse’s boring pole to the other side after he hung a little on the bends.

Copy hat’s run today, with his closing 800 metres in 54.3 and 400 in 27.1 would bring Copy That on, he said.

“Running 1:54 is pretty good going but he’ll probably have to run 1:51 on Jewels day.”

Green said he knew the knockers would have a field day after the workout, Copy That beaten by rating 67 and rating 80 horses, but he pointed out the horse also had a habit of pulling himself up at the workouts. “He likes to anticipate the finish 100 out.”

Green, walking the horse after the heat, was again amazed at Copy That’s terrific recovery rate.

“He’ll thrive on four races in four weeks in Brisbane.”

With Copy That drawn the outside of the second row, McKendry is hoping “they go like cut cats and we can sit there doing nothing and come over the top of them.”

With two other drives earlier in the day also drawn 14, McKendry joked he’d know what to do come the last race.

TAB bookies eased Copy That from $2.30 to $3.40 after the barrier draw and he is now being hotly challenged for favouritism by South Coast Arden ($3.50).

Sugar Apple (Andrew Drake) is keen to get on with it.Tommy Lincoln ($34), drawn three in the Four-Year-Old Emerald, boosted his stocks with his run today, driver Andrew Drake reporting “it was the best he’s ever felt.”

Drake let Tommy Lincoln go forward from his seven draw and was three wide to the death before taking over the running from Alta Wiseguy at the bell.

The horse never flinched in the run up the straight, just pipped by Alta Wiseguy’s passing lane sprint.

American Dealer might have appeared to be a little lacklustre in finishing sixth but driver Zachary Butcher revealed the little colt paced really roughly.

“His legs were going everywhere, and I nearly went down when he had a little gallop at the 400. We’ll have to put the spreader back on him.”

American Dealer, drawn two the second row in the Three-Year-Old Emerald, has eased to $13.

Meanwhile Kango, a $5 fourth favourite in the Four-Year-Old Emerald, had a cruisy final hitout, leading most of the way in the rating 40 and faster heat over 2200 metres.

At the line Kango had one and three-quarter lengths over Plutonium Lady, reeling off his last half in 56.4 and quarter in 27 to clock 2:43.

Arden’s Horizon, outer, takes the two-year-old heat with Sugar Apple (1) third.Lincoln Farms’ Two-Year-Old Emerald candidates Arden’s Horizon and Sugar Apple both acquitted themselves well in their mile heat.

Arden’s Horizon was taken straight to the front by Zachary Butcher and held on to beat the fast-finishing southerner You’re So Fine by a head in 1:59.1.

Sugar Apple (Drake) trailed throughout and was only half a length away in third.

While pleased with the efforts, Green knows next Sunday’s Jewels will be much tougher.

“They weren’t racing a sterling bunch. When they front up to the better ones next week they might struggle.”

The Brett Gray trained You’re So Fine, who has drawn badly on Sunday, reeled off his last 800 metres in 56.15 and 400 in a very slick 26.73.

Earlier, Five Wise Men, winner of his last seven starts and a $1.75 favourite for the Three-Year-Old Ruby, downed four maiden pacers over 2200 metres, coming with a sterling late run to score in 2:48, a mile rate of 2:02.9. Mexicana galloped 400 metres from home.

Five Wise Men ran exceptional closing sectionals, trotting his last 800 metres in 56.24 and 400 in 28.28.