Copy That found to have bled after choking down and faces 28-day stand down

Copy That has been stood down from racing for 28 days after he choked down and was subsequently found to have bled in tonight’s A$500,000 Hunter Cup at Melton.

But, incredibly the horse recovered quickly and trainer Ray Green is confident he can still have him ready for the $1 million The Race by Grins at Cambridge on April 14.

Copy That had to do plenty of work three wide in the first 600 metres of the race and, having seen leader Spirit Of St Louis cop huge early pressure from Mach Dan, driver Blair Orange expected his driver Jack Callaghan to hand up when he attacked for the top.

But the 21-year-old refused to relinquish the front, setting up a ferocious lead time of 80.3, five seconds faster than that run by last year’s Hunter Cup winner King Of Swing, and Orange was forced to take hold, according to Green who watched the race from his Tuakau home but spoke to his driver soon after the race.

“The horse got fired up and wanted to run and when Blair took hold he started to choke down.”

Orange is in the one-one with Copy That after letting Rock N Roll Doo cross, with Old Town Road going forward, but the horse is choking down.Orange was already concerned about Copy That when first Rock N Roll Doo then Old Town Road came round so he eased him out three wide inside the last lap and pulled him out of the race.

“The stewards ordered him to be scoped afterwards and found he’d had a bleed as well. The same thing happened to him last time we were over there when he had a grade two bleed, but this time it was a three out of five.

“That means he’s stood down for four weeks. But, incredibly, he pulled up like you wouldn’t have known he’d had a race. His heart rate was perfect.

“I’m not overly concerned about the bleed. I’m convinced he only bled because he choked and that would have put enormous pressure on his lungs.

“After it happened last time he went on to win the New Zealand Cup and a stack of other races.

“I’m more pissed off the way it happened. It was just unadulterated stupidity on behalf of that driver. Anybody with half a brain would have handed up. It cost him too as he stopped (to sixth).”

Green said Copy That would have a week or two off after he flies home on Wedneday night, which would help give his lungs time to heal.

The horse was already on medication to help combat bleeding.

“It won’t take much to get him back up again. He can race again after March 4 and I’m confident I’ll have him fit for the slot race at Cambridge.”

Copy That’s next three big assignments are the $1 million The Race by Grins on April 14, the $100,000 Taylor Mile on April 21 and the $100,000 Messenger on April 28.

To fit him for those races he has three options:

• The $30,000 Founders Cup at Auckland on March 10
• The $50,000 City Of Auckland Free-for-all at Auckland on March 24 and
• The $50,000 Waikato Flying Mile at Cambridge on April 6.

Old Town Road, inner, just misses second.Old Town Road brave third

The news was not all bad for the Kiwi camp tonight with John Dickie’s Old Town Road running a very brave third, just 4.7 metres behind winner Honolua Bay and half a head behind the runner-up, Interdominion champion I Cast No Shadow.

Honolua Bay, trained by Emma Stewart and driven by David Moran, cut out the 2760 metres in 3:17.6, a mile rate of 1:55.2, two seconds outside Tiger Tara’s race record.

After the hectic lead time of 80.3, the leader ran closing sectionals of 30.2, 30.3, 28.5 and 28.3.

Moran, who also drove 2021 Hunter Cup winner Lochinvar Art, said he loved the race and when he was young used to dream about just parading a contender, never thinking he’d one day drive the winner.