Copy That now outright NZ Cup favourite after Self Assured blows it again in cup trial
By Barry Lichter • 6 November 2020
Lincoln Farms’ stable star Copy That is now the outright $3.10 favourite for Tuesday’s $540,000 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup.
The new market was framed after Wednesday’s cup trial at Addington and reflects the fact long time cup favourite Self Assured made yet another poor beginning from a stand and Copy That paced away faultlessly.
Self Assured, who has drifted from $2.70 to $3.20, never looked like stepping cleanly and galloped for 14 strides, only getting into a pace when driver Mark Purdon angled him onto the back of Vintage Cheddar on the markers.
Self Assured started in the middle of the seven horse field with much more room than he will have on Tuesday when 10 horses will breast the front tape - from eight he will have seven horses inside him and two outside him.
Purdon took the horse off the unruly list for the cup, gambling on making a safe beginning from the front, rather than having to start wide out and just behind the second row horses.
Copy That, drawn the ace, is the only one of the favoured runners drawn the front - third and fourth favourites Spankem and Classie Brigade are both on the second row.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Lincoln La Moose
6.23pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to race so tough on debut. He seems to be one of those horses who puts their best foot forward when the money is up. Right-handed shouldn’t bother him and he’d have to be in it again from the good draw.”
Race 6: Leo Lincoln
8.14pm
“From the inside draw he should get another perfect trip and he’ll go well again, even though there are higher rated horses in the field.”
Race 8: Debbie Lincoln
9.05pm
“She has a lot of ability but the first time she’s got round without galloping was at the trials last week. If she can do that again I’ll be happy. She’s a little bit nervy but we seem to be getting on top of that.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 2: Captain Nemo
7.54pm NZ time
“It’s a strong, even field and we can’t make too much happen from that second row alley. We’ll need something to go our way in the running. It’s very hard to predict how things will pan out but he’ll run a race.”
