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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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.”
