Copy That strips fitter for Friday’s free-for-all and right on target for next month’s Grins

Copy That showed he was right on target for next month’s $1 million Race by Grins with a smart workout win at Pukekohe today.

Driven by Lincoln Farms’ stable foreman Andrew Drake, Copy That trailed throughout and, despite being hampered turning for home, finished on well without being asked for his best to hold off the late-closing Old Town Road by a head.

Drake didn’t pull the plugs and told trainer Ray Green that Copy That was powerful at the finish of the 2050 metre heat, the last 800 metres in 56.7 and 400 in 27.4. The overall time was 2:30.9, a mile rate of 1:58.4.

“He’s just a different animal with that mini bit,” Drake said. “He was so relaxed on the back of Bach. Usually he’d have his head hard on the helmet in front.

“When I asked him at the 600 he grabbed the bit and I came off.”

Andrew Drake takes Copy That’s heart rate which was an excellent 79 after today’s workout.But Drake reported Copy That’s run was even better than it might have looked after leader Bach first hung in on the turn, then ran out, locking wheels with Copy That and taking away a lot of his momentum.

Green declared Copy That was on a nice improvement curve and with an excellent post race heart rate of 79 today, he would strip fitter for Friday night’s $45,000 City Of Auckland Free-for-all (mobile 2200m) at Auckland.

Only after that race, his second this prep, would Green decide if Copy That needs another race before his main mission, the $1 million slot race on April 14.

“We’ve got the $45,000 Waikato Flying Mile at Cambridge the week before the Grins race if we need it. Some of those races can be easy, you can get away with cheap fractionals, so it’s either that or a run at the trials, we’ll just play it by ear.”

Grins rival Old Town Road was also excellent, powering home from the back, a head in front of Bach, with a length to Simply Sam, and Chimichurri fifth.

Driver Andre Poutama said Simply Sam trialled in great style in his first run back from a spell.

“I ran home in 27 and he felt really good.”

Simply Sam hasn’t raced for more than three months, given a decent spell after losing a lot of condition after being gelded on his return from Australia.

It is expected Simply Sam will need at least one more trial before he is ready to race.

Neptune (Andre Poutama) is airborne as he leads Lincoln River (Monika Ranger) and Commander Lincoln (Zachary Butcher).Green will throw in a derby nomination on Monday for Lincoln River after he finished best from the trail to beat pacemaker Neptune a neck in their right-handed 2050 metre heat.

Lincoln River (Monika Ranger) clocked 2:35.3, closing in slick sectionals of 56.8 and 27.7.

While Lincoln River will be entered for the $135,000 Woodlands Stud Northern Derby (mobile 2700m) on Friday night, Neptune and Commander Lincoln, who dropped five lengths behind his stablemates, will be nominated for Cambridge on Thursday night.

Ideal Kingdom, outer, comes with the last run to pip Loutenant, centre, and Next To Me.Ideal Kingdom (Poutama) came with the last run to win his 2050 metre heat, run in a more casual 2:37.7, pipping Loutenant half a head with a neck to Next To Me and five and a half lengths to Riverboy Ben.

Onyx Shard didn’t win her mile qualifying heat but showed enough to earn a debut run in Friday night’s $63,000 Delightful Lady Classic at Auckland.

Onyx Shard trailed Brent Mangos’ winner Treacherous Love and was only one and a quarter lengths behind at the line, the mile run in 2:03.1, 800 in 58.2 and 400 in 29.8.

Green said the paucity of starters in the fillies’ Young Guns heats would see Onyx Shard gain a start in Friday’s final and he was sure she wouldn’t disgrace herself.

Onyx Shard (Poutama) trails Treacherous Love today.“She goes nicely and I’m sure she’ll win races. I can’t fault what she’s done.”

Onyx Shard, a Sweet Lou filly out of Delightful Shard, was a $30,000 yearling buy at Christchurch and will be raced by Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton and two of his mates Paul Humphries and Ian Harris.

The black filly is from the family of big winners Sly Flyin and Smiling Shard.

Lilly Lincoln, a distant fourth after an early gallop, and Lincoln Blue, who qualified in running fifth, will both go out for a break now, Green said.