Win, lose or draw on Saturday night the champ Copy That’s coming home next week
By Barry Lichter • 3 February 2023
Copy That will be on a flight home next week no matter where he finishes in the A$500,000 Hunter Cup at Melton.
Melbourne owners Merv and Meg Butterworth are adamant their champion won’t contest the A$1 million Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 4, even if he downs his opposition in Saturday night’s iconic race.
Instead, he will concentrate on a slew of races at home, including Cambridge’s $1 million slot race on April 14 and the $200,000 Auckland Cup on May 26.
Merv Butterworth dislikes the conditions of the Miracle Mile which, once an invitation-only race, now demands horses earn their place in lead-up races in the state.
“Menangle is also too unforgiving for horses having their first starts there. They go too fast and hard and you run the risk of not doing the right thing by your horse.
“We’re better off at home running in a million dollar race an hour up the road at Cambridge.”
It’s a plan trainer Ray Green fully supports and he is looking forward to seeing the horse back at Lincoln Farms on Thursday.
“You can’t go in all the big races and it makes absolute sense to come home and target our races - it’s quite a lucrative time here in Auckland in the next few months.”
Other key targets for the horse will be the $100,000 Taylor Mile at Auckland on April 21 and the $100,000 Messenger there a week later, races restricted to four-year-olds until last year.
Ray Green … “You can’t go in all the big races.”Hard week for Ray
Green had been hoping to be well enough to fly to Melbourne with wife Debbie to watch Copy That on Saturday but the last week has been far from plain sailing for him.
On a steady improving curve from extensive surgery to repair damage after being kicked in the stomach last November, Green first came down with a bad flu then a bladder infection.
“I had a fleeting hope of going over but that set me back a little and I’ll just have to watch it on TV now. Hopefully it will be a happy watch.
“I’m sure he’ll go well. Andrew (Drake) is very happy with how the horse has progressed since winning the Ballarat Cup.
“And I’m no too worried about the draw as we’ve got a good driver in Blair (Orange). It could be awkward or it could be good but that applies to them all.
“What it does do is give us options. He can stay out of trouble early, glide out and see what happens. He doesn’t have to lead.”
Green remains convinced Honolua Bay will provide Copy That with his most serious challenge, and the market reflects that, the horse backed in from an opening quote of $9 to equal second favourite at $5.50 with Spirit Of St Louis.
“From four he won’t have to do too much work to be handy and he’s a very fast horse.”
Held up until 200 metres out in the Ballarat Cup, after starting from a wide gate, Honolua Bay steamed home from well back for second.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mach Dan ($26) in the hunt either, as he was also unlucky at Ballarat.”
Copy That races at 11.07pm NZ time at Melton on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
Brace for Ray and Lincoln Farms at Cambridge but Colonel’s placing just as thrilling
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.”
