X-rays show the champ Copy That 100% - New Zealand Cup here we come!
By Barry Lichter • 30 June 2022
X-rays this week have shown Copy That to be 100% recovered from his leg injury and it’s all systems go for a defence of the New Zealand Cup in November.
The way Copy That has been working, Lincoln Farms trainer Ray Green hardly needed any reassurance that his flagship horse is back.
But even Green was blown away at the perfect picture of his hind leg, healing calluses on the fractured splint bone no longer visible.
Green said even Lincoln Farms’ vet Lindsay Colwell couldn’t tell now which leg had been injured.
This week’s X-ray.Owner Merv Butterworth greeted the news with great joy, noting it came virtually six months to the day since he lashed out at a fence in his paddock at Romsey in Victoria where he was based for a summer campaign.
Butterworth is looking forward to having his champ back on the racetrack, his earnings closing in on $1 million, and is pleased he has a bit more than four months to prepare for the cup on November 8.
Green expects Copy That to be trialling by the start of August.
“He’s been back in work coming up eight weeks and is looking super now. I’m really pleased with him.’’
Copy That returned home a little porky on May 5 after four and a half months in confinement at Laura Dixon’s Dowling View equine rehabilitation centre.
“But he’s in good nick now. He’s doing a bit of hoppled pacework, a quiet 2400 once or twice a week, and jogging every other day.
“He’s well on target for the New Zealand Cup, unless he has a setback.”
Copy That’s career record stands at 24 wins and 11 placings from 45 starts and a bankroll of $964,297.
He enjoyed a stellar four-year-old year, smashed his rivals in the New Zealand Cup and won 15 of his 25 races and $777,098.
Progressive X-rays of Copy That’s injury show excellent healing of the splint bone. PHOTO: Ballarat Veterinary Clinic.
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Our runners this week
Friday night at Cambridge
Lincoln Lover, Prince Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Lincoln Lou, Sugar Ray Lincoln.
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.44pm
“Fergie’s drive on Sunday was perfect, you couldn’t ask for better, and he said the horse was doing his best work in the last 50 metres. Maybe with another 100 metres he might have got there. His gate speed is only OK so I can see him getting crossed here.”
Race 5: Kevin Kline
6.19pm
“Fergie said he did it easily on the first day, and the horse only did what he had to. He’s been racing much nicer horses at Auckland so it was good to get the win, hopefully it will boost his confidence. I’ll leave the tactics up to Fergie but I imagine he’ll probably do the same thing again, loop the field and outstay them.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
6.54pm
“I was hoping she’d drop down a grade. She’s had some tough trips recently, having to do a lot of work, and it didn’t help being three wide for the last lap on the first day. Also they only walked and sprinted home. She could be better coming with one run at them.”
