Trainer Ray Green with Copy That, whose Victorian campaign has hit a snag.
Copy That lame after paddock accident - Ray anxiously waiting for vet to assess damage
By Barry Lichter • 26 December 2021
Copy That’s Australian campaign has had another setback, an injury forcing him out of tonight’s Sokyola Sprint at Ballarat.
Trainer Ray Green does not yet know the extent of the damage to the horse’s off hind leg and what impact it will have on the rest of the horse’s summer campaign in Victoria.
“It’s a bit of a worry as he’s very lame,” said Green after discovering the horse must have kicked out at a rail in his paddock.
“He can barely put his foot to the ground and I’m just waiting for the vet to come.”
The injury, just below his hock, is the latest blow in a campaign which Green says has been a disaster from day one.
First Green’s departure from Auckland was delayed a day because of Covid paper work, preventing him from overseeing the horse’s prep for the Cranbourne Cup or even attending the meeting.
Then in last Saturday’s race, Copy That endured a torrid trip before weakening to last.
Green had been confident the New Zealand Cup winner was back to his best, however, the way he felt in training last week.
“It’s an occupational hazard. You have to be philiosophical about these things or you couldn’t do this job.
“The best scenario is he makes a quick recovery and we can continue his campaign without too much interruption.”
Copy That’s main mission is the A$500,000 Hunter Cup on February 5 and his choice of lead-up races includes:
* the A$70,000 Bendigo Pacing Cup on January 8
* the A$60,000 Shepparton Cup on January 15
* the A$110,000 Ballarat Pacing Cup on January 22 and
* the A$50,000 Casey Classic at Melton on January 29.
More news in Harness
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Debbie lands Golden draw at last in her bid to give Sampson a haircut at the Park
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
Our runners this week
Wednesday at Cambridge
Spiritual Bliss, Lincoln Lover, Lincoln Downs, Leo Lincoln, Lincoln Maree.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.22pm
“She got home really well on the second night at Manawatu and gets a good draw here. There’s not much exposed form in the race so it’s hard to know how she compares but she’ll win one.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Debbie Lincoln
7.01pm
“I thought she went super again last week with no luck and we’ve got a decent draw for a change so you have to like her chances. She’s been getting in on the corners, so we’ve added a Murphy blind.”
Race 3: Tyson
7.01pm
“I was impressed by the way he hung on to Captain Sampson and Greased Lightnin last week. They’re strong sprinters and it was only a sprint up the straight. He’ll need things to go his way from six.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.01pm
“It was his first run for a while last week and he probably needed another trial. But we thought we might as well race him to set him up for this week. The outside draw of eight doesn’t help.”
Race 9: Lincoln Lover
9.55pm
“He’s not as sharp as our other two but he’s a game little bugger. He’ll win races for sure.”
Race 9: Prince Lincoln
9.55pm
“I thought he went really well last week. He’d had only one trial and was a bit fresh so it was understandable that he got tired the last bit. That will tighten him up and I’m expecting him to race well. He’s trained on well since.”
Race 9: Johnny Lincoln
9.55pm
“Prince has the wood on Johnny but he’ll still go well. He found the line well last week. It was his first run for a while too, and his first as a gelding.”
