Copy That’s great constitution sees him odds-on to complete Group One double on Friday

Watching Copy That charging round his paddock on Tuesday told trainer Ray Green all he needed to know.

Four days after his brave win in the Taylor Mile, Lincoln Farms’ star pacer was fully recovered and primed for a Group One double on Friday night in the $95,000 NZ Messenger Championship.

“He’s got a great constitution. He ate everything on Friday night after the race so it obviously didn’t hurt him.”

Green drove Copy That in his final training session on Wednesday, setting him a solid 2400 metre trip which he completed in 3:12.

“He had a decent workout and pulled up well. He’s not a flashy trackwalker, especially on his own, but he had a heavy cart on and sprinted up a bit at the finish. I can’t fault where he’s at.”

Copy That enjoys a pick in his paddock. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Green said Copy That was not at his peak when he resumed last week, a huge rap given the horse was made to work hard to reach the front, was attacked mercilessly in the running and still paced the mile in 1:54.5 on a shocking wet track.

“I wanted to race him a week before the Taylor Mile and couldn’t get a start, so the short trip helped. Had it been 2700 last week I would have been a bit worried.

“But he got home in 26.6 off the front and Maurice said he travelled really nicely.

“You couldn’t make a case for the others being unlucky, they all had their chance, nothing was running him down.”

Green said while Amazing Dream took a couple of lengths off Copy That in the run home, the mare had enjoyed a cosy trip in the one-one.

“She did no work and got sucked along whereas Copy That had to work hard early then copped a mauling from Bad To The Bone. It’s not like he got away with murder.”

Green said it was impossible to make a case that Copy That won’t get the 2700 metre trip as well. The bare stats of the horse having raced over 2700 metres four times for only one win and one placing were completely misleading.

• Copy That, right, flies home from the rear to finish a close fifth in Spankem’s Franklin Cup. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race ImagesWhen Copy That tackled 2700 metres in the Holmes DG he came from 30 metres behind and thumped his rivals.
• When he ran second to Amazing Dream in the Northern Derby he was desperately unlucky not to win after being snookered for a run on the home turn and flashing home.
• When he ran fifth in the Franklin Cup he was only 1.4 lengths from winner Spankem and motored home from the rear in one of the runs of the race.
• And in his only other attempt he was pulled up in the running when he over-raced badly fresh-up, hitting the sulky wheels.

Copy That has also shown the extreme 3200 metres holds no fears for him.

• His first attempt, when eighth in last November’s New Zealand Cup, was blighted by a shemozzle of a start, all the horses drawn the inside left standing flat-footed while those wide out got a flyer, resulting in long-time started Peter Lamb losing his job at Addington.
• In the Auckland Cup on New Year’s Eve, Copy That was the victim of an army of All Stars competitors and despite racing parked for the last two laps still finished only a neck and half a length third, closing late in tight quarters on Amazing Dream and Spankem.

Green knows it’s not easy to lead all the way over 2700 metres and that’s why he says he wouldn’t worry if Copy That doesn’t make the pace on Friday night.

“I don’t care where he is in the running as long as he gets a good trip.”

But from gate two it’s inconceivable to think that driver Maurice McKendry won’t head straight to the top and dominate.

“I try not to get too confident because you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment,” Green said. “I like eggs but not too much on my face.

“Winning Group One races isn’t supposed to be easy. These are the best of his age around and there are some good horses in the race. I was actually surprised how well all the first four went last week.

“But I know how good Copy That is and it will take a very good effort to beat him.”

The TAB bookies think the same, opening Copy That at $1.55, after spoiling punters last week with a $2.10 quote. Amazing Dream is at $4 and Bad To The Bone $7.