Copy That ‘enormous’ but frustrated Ray can’t find a race for him in derby lead-up

A lack of races for top three-year-old Copy That here saw his connections considering a bizarre plan to fly the horse to Australia for one race and return immediately to help his Northern Derby preparation.

Lincoln Farms trainer Ray Green and Australian owner Merv Butterworth say they are frustrated at poor programming in the north which could make it impossible for them to ready the horse properly for the Auckland classic on March 6.

Copy That showed that he is flying in training when he trounced a strong field at Saturday’s Pukekohe workouts, downing Check In, Zealand Star and Dance Time in the up-to-rating 86 heat over 2050 metres, clocking a mile rate of 1:58.4 and sprinting home in fast sectionals of 56.5 and 27.2.

Copy That downs One Change in the Alabar Classic. PHOTO: Peter Rubery/Race Images.Driver Andrew Drake told Green the horse was jogging at the finish and had he pulled the plugs he would have cleared off and left them, not just won by half a length.

“He’s training enormous, “ said Green. “He’s really in the zone and could possibly have gone to another level.

“But I can’t get a start for him. He’s not eligible for a single race at Auckland on Friday and the only race the week after that is a standing start over 2700 metres.”

Green is not keen on either the distance or the stand so soon in the horse’s prep and to make matters worse there’s no meeting at Auckland on February 21 and Copy That is ineligible for the Waikato Guineas at Cambridge that night because it is restricted to horses rated no higher than R65.

“Copy That is the benchmark three-year-old so why wouldn’t they be keen on seeing him race. It seems they’re catering now for the grass trackers and not the good horses.

Copy That’s Australian owner Merv Butterworth.“Merv considered flying Copy That to Australia to get a start and coming straight back.”

But Green says it’s crazy that they should even have to start thinking like that.

The Derby Prelude (mobile 2200m) is set down for Alexandra Park on February 28 and Green says if that race doesn’t draw enough entries he won’t be afraid to take on the free-for-allers in the $30,000 Lincoln Farms’ The Founders Cup (mobile 2200m).

The Group I $200,000 Woodlands Stud Northern Derby (mobile 2700m) is at the Park on February 6.

Copy That has not raced since December 14 when he downed One Change in the Alabar Classic at Auckland, rating 1:55 for the 2200 metres, run in a blistering 2:37.3.

No race for Zealand Star either

Zealand Star, also owned by Butterworth, ran another bold workout on Saturday, finishing just a length behind Copy That after leading, but he too will be home in his box this Friday with no races on the programme that a R74 pacer is eligible for.

Zealand Star won twice at Cambridge last prep.The run followed his improver’s effort the previous Saturday when he finished fourth behind Mogul, only two and a half lengths away, despite driver Andre Poutama’s efforts to give him a quiet workout.

It’s more than 10 months since Zealand Star raced when he had surgery to pin his right hind pastern with three screws.

But Poutama said last week he was very impressed at how relaxed the horse was - “I let him come out of the gate under his own steam and he didn’t try to charge away” - and how he went to the line strongly, hard on their backs in a 27.2 closing quarter.

Zealand Star had a tendency to over-race last campaign when he won two races including a 1:54.8 track record for 1700 metres at Cambridge.