Trainer Ray Green using a heart rate monitor, which told him today that Copy That was fighting fit.
Copy That clears out but his quick recovery’s the real pointer to Taylor Mile chances
By Barry Lichter • 17 April 2021
It wasn’t Copy That’s five and a half length winning margin, or even his 55.2 last half that had trainer Ray Green fizzing at Pukekohe today.
Rather it was about 10 minutes after the horse’s workout, when the horse was in the wash bay, that Green knew his horse was ready.
The reading of 73 on Green’s heart rate monitor told him everything he needed to know about Copy That’s chances in Friday’s $95,000 Taylor Mile.
“He’s pulled up in excellent shape. His heart rate was down to 73 and that’s the only true linear guide to a horse’s fitness.
“That reading is pretty normal for him but for other horses it would be exceptional. That’s why he’s so good.”
Maurice McKendry’s report on Copy That: ‘He’s back!”Copy That faced only two rivals in his 2050 metre heat today - Dance Time and Need You Now - and Green made sure driver Maurice McKendry tested the horse.
A week earlier Copy That finished a lacklustre second to his sole workout rival Darling Me, McKendry reporting the horse felt like he needed the run.
“I told Maurice not to pussy foot round and to give the horse a decent hitout,” Green said. “We’re in a Group One race next week so he needed to do a bit so we could see where we’re at.”
The early stages of today’s heat were fairly tame, but when leader Dance Time started running out of juice 700 metres out, McKendry whipped up from the rear to take the lead, which he held for the rest of the heat.
Copy That was full of running at the line, five and a half lengths clear of Need You Now, clocking swift closing sectionals of 55.2 and 26.8 for a mile rate of 1:59.4.
“When Maurice showed him daylight he was in a different class. We know he’s got speed but when Maurice came back his first two words were: ‘He’s back!
“He said he felt like a different horse. We’re in good shape.”
Sugar Apple … American Dealer’s half brother is showing promise.Earlier, talented two-year-old Sugar Apple surprised Green by winning his first workout back from a break under the watchful eye of part-owner Trevor Casey.
Sugar Apple took on seven rivals, including stablemate Louie The Punter, who missed a race on Friday night when the last two races at Auckland were called off because of a power blackout in the suburb.
Driver Zachary Butcher led early then took a trail on Sugar Apple until he was forced 600 metres out to extricate the horse from behind weakening leader Tennessee Honey.
In the meantime Louie The Punter zipped round to the front and over the last quarter the Lincoln Farms pair cleared right out, Sugar Apple coming off his stablemate’s back to score by a head. John Wayne was best of the rest, two and a half lengths astern.
The 2050 metre heat was run in 2:36.5, a mile rate of 2:02.9, with the last 800 in 57.8 and 400 in 28.3.
“I wasn’t expecting him to go that well,” Green said of Sugar Apple, a half brother to the stable’s classy American Dealer.
“He got a bit keen and over-raced so he was getting a bit tired at the finish but it was his first run since February.”
Sugar Apple showed plenty of ability in his first campaign, having a torrid run on debut when three wide to the death, then he surprisingly weakened from the trail in his last run on February 5.
“He was a bit tired that night, coming to the end of it. He still lacks a bit of strength but he’s got ability. Based on his run today he’s not far away but to be fair to him I’ll probably give him one more trial. I’ll just have to see what races are coming up for him.”
Sugar Apple is raced with Lincoln Farms by Casey, his Alexandra Park Lone Star restaurant manager Matt Hooper, Miami’s Gordon Banks and Marc Hanover, Grant Dickey, Duncan Chisholm’s Chissos and Wack syndicate, Ian Kedzlie, and the Green Machine syndicate.
Recent dual winner Captain Nemo finished fourth in his 2050 metre heat but was only two and a half lengths behind winner Darling Me.
The Captaintreacherous three-year-old was driven by Todd MacFarlane, trialling the horse for a potential sale to the United States.
“He went right-handed no problem and Todd said he couldn’t fault what he did.”
More news in Harness
Forget the form line, Nemo is in Saturday’s race at Albion Park ‘right up to his ears’
Fine Cambridge double but Ray’s packing Lincoln Cove off to Matamata for scintigraphy
34 more meetings in the north next season as Auckland reclaims Friday nights
No way to sugar coat it - it’s tricky to predict what Sugar Ray will do on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Major Achievement
5.19pm
“It’s his first race for a while and he hasn’t been setting the world on fire at the workouts. But he’s been racing better animals and this isn’t a stellar bunch. He’s a chance if things go his way. I’ve given Mathew Salaivao the drive.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.19pm
“He’s an average horse but the last time he raced here in amateur company he all but won. He’ll need luck from the second row but, while I couldn’t label him, he’s a runner’s chance.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
6.59pm
“She got a bit sick for a while with a virus and I had to back off her. She seems over that now but I’m picking she’ll need a race. This will be like a glorified trial for her.”
Race 8: My Copy
8.14pm
“He came to the end of it so I gave him a little freshen-up and he seems in good shape again. It will be interesting to see how he goes fresh - he may need a race but he’ll appreciate the step-down in class. I’m running him here so he doesn’t come up against any bear cats first-up.”
Race 9: Lincoln Cove
8.47pm
“Hopefully he’s getting better but you’ve just got to take him on trust. He has ability but the desire has been sadly lacking. Zac will have to sit quietly on him as he broke when given only one tap with the stick last time. The small field will suit him as he won’t be too far off them. If he doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll give them a fright.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Leo Lincoln
6.43pm
“Maurice said he would have finished a lot closer last time than sixth (fourth or even third) had he not locked wheels at the 100. That took all his momentum away. He’s been holding his form well and he gets out well enough to use the inside draw. He’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.39pm
“He did have marks on his boot after his last run and trying a spreader on him has helped. But he’s a real baby. He has real ability but he’s still developing mentally and physically and we’re still finding our way with him.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.39pm
“He’s racing well but he’ll find it tough from the outside draw.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.07pm
“I can’t see her improving enough to give the Purdon/Phelan trio a fright. She can go (fast) enough but still has a lot to learn. The main thing for her is getting round safely. She’s put two in a row now so hopefully she’ll start improving.”
Race 10: Lincoln La Moose
9.59pm
“He had an excuse last time - he got wiped out on the first corner and that was the end of his race. I like him, he’s a nice horse, just not quite as experienced as Frisco Bay.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.59pm
“I lean towards Frisky as the better chance of our two. You can’t fault what he did the other night at Cambridge, and he seems to be on the improve. He’s more reliable than Lincoln La Moose.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 6: Captain Nemo
9.40pm NZ time
“I rate him a good top three chance. I’m really happy with the horse. It’s a decent drop in grade for him and I think maybe we roll the dice, go forward, and take our chances. As long as he doesn’t have to burn stupidly off the gate, if he can find the top, they’ll know he’s in the race.”
