Blood tests, the works, for Copy That and American Dealer after flat Jewels runs

Just five days out from loading Copy That and American Dealer on a flight to Australia, trainer Ray Green will be working hard to discover just why both horses raced so poorly at today’s Jewels meeting at Cambridge.

First American Dealer could finish only fifth in the Three-Year-Old Emerald, driver David Butcher reporting he felt flat the whole way.

Then, two races later, warm favourite Copy That ran the worst race of his life in the Four-Year-Old Emerald, Maurice McKendry concerned that even scoring up behind the gate the horse didn’t feel right.

McKendry said he felt something might be amiss in the horse’s hindquarters and thought he might even “lose him” on dispatch.

“I had a lovely run but I went no good at all,” McKendry said. “When I moved three wide I got behind the right horse in Laver, because he does stick a bit, but my horse felt all done a lap from home.”

And when Copy That was forced to go four wide around Laver at the 400, when that horse didn’t improve, McKendry said Copy That showed none of his usual brilliant speed.

Copy That finished ninth, 4.8 lengths from winner South Coast Arden, prompting stewards to have him vet checked.

Vet Greg Sommerville reported Copy That’s heart rate to be 84 - “Slightly high but not too bad.”

But as Green pointed out, Copy That’s heart rate always drops quickly and, all of 25 minutes after the race, should have been back to the mid-70s.

Greg Sommerville found nothing amiss with Copy That but noted often problems don’t surface when horses are still warm.Sommerville found nothing amiss on checking each of Copy That’s legs. “But often when they’re warm you won’t find anything, until the next day,” he said.

Green told steward Adrian Dooley that he would be “all over” Copy That in the next few days and he would start with a blood test tomorrow morning.

“That’s the worst race of his life. It’s strange, the way those two had worked during the week I expected a lot better.

“And the 1:51.6 wouldn’t have stopped Copy That, he’s well capable of that.”

Standing nearby, Lincoln Farms’ No. 1 stable driver Zachary Butcher questioned whether “something (a bug) might be going around the barn.”

He had expected his own horse Zarias to go better when third to Captain Nemo at Auckland last Friday night.

American Dealer’s below par effort was also hard to fathom considering he always puts in 100 percent and invariably powers home.

But while American Dealer managed to run fifth, 2.7 lengths behind winner B D Joe, David Butcher said that was more the others hitting the wall.

“I was flat the whole way and when they started going, he couldn’t keep up. He got a bit loose on the home bend but not enough to make a difference.”

American Dealer wore one spreader on his off side, helping him to pace better left-handed, not his favoured way of going.

Copy That, American Dealer, Tommy Lincoln (a solid sixth today), and Captain Nemo are booked to fly to Australia on Friday where they will campaign in Brisbane over winter.

Copy That has been invited to compete in the inaugural A$250,000 Rising Sun on July 10 and is also aiming at the A$250,000 Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship on July 24, while American Dealer has derby assignments, including the A$100,000 Queensland Derby on July 24.

American Dealer (10) is only battling in behind the top four in today’s Three-Year-Old Emerald, from inside out, Krug, winner B D Joe, Ragazzo Mach and Hot And Treacherous.