Five horses are spread across the track near the finish of the Franklin Cup but it was the run of Copy That, widest, that really caught the eye. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Copy That in great shape for the Auckland Cup but Ray labels standing starts a joke
By Barry Lichter • 29 December 2020
Trainer Ray Green admits the start will be the most nerve-racking part of Thursday’s $200,000 Woodlands Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park.
But Green isn’t so much worried about how his favoured runner Copy That will step from behind the tapes, rather whether he’ll be taken out by a rival.
“Of course I’m nervous. I’m nervous about any standing start. They’re a boil on the arse of common sense. I can’t believe they still do them. They’re a joke.”
Green is understandably critical of standing start cups where good or bad luck at the start becomes more important than the ability of the horses competing.
Copy That and a bunch of other horses virtually motionless in the inside barriers were left behind in the New Zealand Trotting Cup when starter Peter Lamb allowed horses drawn out wide to have what could only be described as a run-up start.
And while the procedure used in the north won’t see that repeated, Green still fears the unexpected.
“We don’t need the starter letting them go when he’s on the back foot or something squeezing us up.”
Ironically, the least experienced standing start horse in the field is right alongside Copy That - the All Stars’ second favourite Amazing Dream drawn three and yet to see the tapes on race night.
Ray Green … standing starts are a joke.“She’d want to step better than she did at the trials the other day. There’ll be a lot more activity at the start with eight or nine of them milling around.”
Copy That made a far faster start than Amazing Dream at the Pukekohe workouts 10 days ago when the pair were the only ones on the 30 metre mark.
Amazing Dream, angled in, lurched a couple of times for Mark Purdon before finding her straps and settling a clear last.
Copy That, on the other hand, paced away stylishly for Maurice McKendry, before ripping home to win the heat very easily.
“He’s never not stepped and he’s getting better at it. If he steps as fast as I know he can and gets the early lead then it could be game over. He’s never been run down yet when he’s made the front.”
Green agrees race favourite Spankem is the one to beat. He’s not always that great away either but if he steps and gets to the lead he becomes the one to beat.”
Green is not worried about the runner on his inside, Matt Damon, whom trainer Robert Dunn describes as a good beginner, all six of his wins being from a stand.
Green is delighted with the condition of Copy That who roared home late in his final lead-up, the Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup, his final sectionals of 55.7 and 26.4 the best in the race.
“I can’t fault him at all. He trained a little bit this morning, nothing flash, just a sprint up the straight. And he trained well on Saturday.
“I’m expecting him to go well. He appears to be in good shape, as good as I’ve had him - certainly as good as before he won at Ashburton, if not a little better.”
American Dealer roars past Shan Noble to win the Alabar Classic. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Butcher will decide tactics
Green refuses to raise the white flag with American Dealer ($3), despite the horse having drawn the outside of the gate in the $200,000 Harness Million.
But Green says he’ll be leaving the driving tactics entirely to the man in the bike, David Butcher.
“Butch is a very good driver and knows the horse like the back of his hand. And the field is no better than the one he beat last time.”
From seven on the gate, American Dealer went back in the Alabar Classic and was still a fair way from the leaders turning for home before unleashing a withering sprint to win, going away.
Green knows the Purdon-Rasmussen trio drawn three of the inside four barriers, have a big advantage but he sees their fourth runner Shan Noble ($4) as the one to beat.
“Shan Noble has drawn badly, one on the second row, which will inconvenience him, but he’s clearly their best.
“It will be an interesting race.”
Green’s second string, Captain Nemo ($51), while promising, has not yet shown he is up to the topliners.
“Captain Nemo is not as good as them. He’s a race or two short of being a serious horse. He’s really only going around to collect the appearance money.”
Green says Captain Nemo would need a perfect trip to have any chance of getting some of the major money and from six on the gate that looks unlikely.
More news in Harness
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Bang! Lincoln Wave’s tyre blows out, startling rival drivers but Alabar win would shock more
Cheapies The Night Fox and Lincoln Maree keep the tally ticking over at Cambridge
Little Missy Lincoln can stand up for herself in Young Guns fillies’ heat on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: The Night Fox
5.44pm
“From a good front line draw Harry can run off the gate and find the front. He’s shown he’s got the speed to get there. And if he can go 2:42 again, or quicker, I thought he’d be a very good winning chance. It’s an easier field than the one he beat last time. He’s trained well this week.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.09pm
“She goes down to Cambridge for the first time so it’s a big drop in class. She also goes a lot better left-handed so I thought from the good draw she could run top three.”
Race 3: Lincoln Maree
6.34pm
“She paced a 1:56.7 mile in beating the amateurs last start but it looks like she’ll need a bit of luck from the draw this time. The two inside her like to lead so she could end up three fence or outside them. I’ll leave it up to Harry to get the right trip.”
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.34pm
“He’s a place chance. He likes bowling along but from five it’s hard to say where he’ll end up. He’s very consistent and he paced 2:42.3 last time so I can absolutely see him in the money.”
Race 6: Lincoln Linda
8.04pm
“She was in a very strong R40 to R48 race last time at Auckland against horses like Alecto, All Of Me and Cyclone Rebel, and she clocked 2:41.1, so back to Cambridge where she won her first race, and a much easier R38 to R40 field, she’s got to be a good winning chance. She’s best in front if Fergie can get there.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
4.42pm
“I’m not holding my breath with him. We won’t count that last run, when the leader went ballistic and he couldn’t get into the race, but he’s not well placed here.”
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.09pm
“She’s racing really well and this looks a bit easier than last time when she was trapped in the breeze in a strong field. I can’t see how she won’t be right in the fight.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
7.34pm
“I didn’t know what to expect on debut but she was very brave. I’m picking she’ll go well again but she’ll need a bit of luck - drawn the second line we’re at the mercy of others. We’ll poke her out and see. At least she won’t get parked this time.”
Race 10: Lincoln Wave
9.07pm
“We’re racing the best horses now but he’ll definitely go better than last time. Tony (Herlihy) said he felt super across the top but once in the straight he flattened out, which I half expected. I had him scoped afterwards just to make sure he was all right but he was short of a run, that’s all.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
9.07pm
“He went super when third last week and Fergie said just wait ’til he gets over 2700 metres, he’ll be a monster. He’s turned into a proper racehorse. From four there’ll be a bit of urgency early and hopefully he can get a suck along and get some of it.”
