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.
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Partners and pedigree made Johnny Lincoln’s win special - but where was everyone?
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Im Not The Maid
5.14pm
“She went pretty well last week considering they came a fast last half (56.3) and she sat parked from the 800. She’s back to the amateur grade, and should get a good run from the two draw, so hopefully we can get a bit of cash.”
Race 4: Dreams Of Eric
6.38pm
“He didn’t handle the right-handed bends at Auckland last week (galloping at the 300) so we’ll stick to Cambridge from now on. There’s a bit of gate speed in the race so Harry (Harrison Orange) should be able to sit in somewhere. I think he’s a good chance to run top three.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.59pm
“He’s racing very well. He would have run second last week (to American Me) had he not spooked at the winning post. These are tidy horses he’s racing against but he’s holding his own.”
Race 1: Kevin Kline
5.59pm
“He’ll go better back to a mobile start. He did well to finish so close last week after a slow start than having to do all the donkey work when parked for the last lap. Maurice really likes him because he just puts him into cruise control and he keeps going.”
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.58pm
“She’s not as good as the other filly but some lift their game when the money’s up so maybe she can pick up a cheque.”
Race 3: Lincoln’s Spice
6.58pm
“She looks a pretty decent chance of winning. She’s a real little tradesman, does nothing wrong, is easy to handle, is a nice drive, tries hard, is great gaited and has the potential to get stronger.”
Race 5: Tyson
7.51pm
“We found out he raced with a virus last time. The next morning snot was pouring out his nose and that’s why he didn’t finish it off as well as we expected. He only whacked away in the run home. With that gone, he should race better.”
Race 5: Johnny Lincoln
7.51pm
“I think he’ll be competitive and he’s the best of ours in the race. He won well last week and has trained on well. He’s promising. I couldn’t go as far as to say he’s a classic colt yet but we’ll find out soon enough.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.51pm
“He’s doing my head in. He had no excuse for breaking last week. Maurice (McKendry) didn’t blame the wet track. He said he was gliding along, travelling beautifully, when for no apparent reason he put in big steps. I’ll put a hood on him this time to see if it’s a nervous issue.”
Race 8: The Rascal
9.23pm
“All going well, he should win what is a poor maiden field. He’s elevated himself from the transfer list and is going well now. He doesn’t have huge gate speed, so he may not lead but he should get a good trip from one. On paper, he’s our best chance of the night.”
