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Debbie Green with her all-the-way Auckland winner My Copy.

Debbie: How I found $3000 to bid on My Copy and why hubby Ray is on a promise not to sell

Reaching high to towel down hulking Auckland winner My Copy, Debbie Green recalled the day she bought the horse when he was a black, hairy midget.

It was May, 2019, a month before his half-brother, Copy That, won his first race, and few at New Zealand Bloodstock’s all aged sale had even heard of the now New Zealand Cup champion.

A December foal, so only five months old, the little ball of fluff by Woodlands Stud’s Highview Tommy wasn’t on anybody’s must-buy list.

But, for Green he was one of only two weanlings she was interested in.

The one she really wanted was lot 111 as Copy That had shown rare speed in training with her husband Ray at Lincoln Farms and she knew he was planning on selling the colt for good money as soon as his manners were sorted.

My Copy as a tiny weanling.My Copy as a tiny weanling.The other, a far bigger and more mature colt, later in the sale, was also by Highview Tommy and was a half-brother to three previous Lincoln Farms’ success stories, Lincoln Road, Lincoln’s Girl and Tommy Lincoln.

The only problem was where to find the money to buy one?

“We had no money,” Green said. “It all goes at home on fencing, the garden or our animals. So I sat down the day before the sale and did my GST return and the amount I had coming back was exactly $3000.

“So I thought, OK, I’ve got $3000 to spend.”

Off to the sales Green went, without telling anyone, and found a spot high in the auditorium away from everyone else.

“I was shaking, because I’d never bid before without someone else’s backing. I put my hand up when the bidding started on Jip’s (Copy That’s) brother but no one noticed.”

So Green started frantically waving her hand around and by the time she was noticed, the bidding had risen to $3000.

“That was me done. I was in a sweat because that was my last bid. I prayed for the hammer to come down - and it did.”

Green didn’t worry about the horse being peanut-sized, both millionaire Hard Copy and Copy That, whom she also bought at bargain prices of $4000 and $7000, were small.

“Hard Copy was still in a three foot nine cover when we sold him and Copy That was a fiery little bastard.

“This horse hasn’t got the speed of his (half) brother but I still think he’ll be a nice horse. Maurice (McKendry) told me when he went out that he might try something a bit different.”

My Copy has No Added Sugar and The Big Dance covered at the finish.My Copy has No Added Sugar and The Big Dance covered at the finish.Driven out of the gate, McKendry pressed forward on My Copy until he found the front and dictated a liesurely speed, comfortably holding on to beat the favourite No Added Sugar by three-quarters of a length in a moderate 2:46.6, home in 58.2 and 28.

Green praised McKendry for having sussed the horse out at the workouts, discovering a couple of weeks ago that he could also perform nearer the pace.

Green is hoping she gets to hang on to My Copy for a bit longer now, Ray having got the message that she wants to race a few now.

Upset at the prospect of losing another horse, she refused to answer her phone late last year when My Copy was being vetted for sale.

“When Hard Copy was sold, I hid, not wanting to sign the papers.”

Maurice McKendry beings the big horse back to scale.Maurice McKendry beings the big horse back to scale.Green said she was hugely relieved when My Copy’s sale fell through after a small bone chip was found in a fetlock.

The operation, and a subsequent spell of several months while recovering from a seedy toe, helped My Copy strengthen, Green said.

“His record is looking pretty good now.”

Fourth on debut, My Copy was a fast closing half-head second in his second start. In his only other race before Thursday he was checked multiple times in a run McKendry said to forget.

* The other Highview Tommy horse Green considered at the sale, named Harry Kane, was knocked down for $6500 and later sold as a nine-start maiden. He won his only race in 17 starts in July at Redcliffe in Queensland.

Our runners this week

Saturday night at Albion Park

Argyle.

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 1: Lincoln La Moose
5.43pm

“Drawn well, he should get a good trip and be the one to beat. He got held up at Cambridge last time and these amateur races are easier to win.”

Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.43pm

“The form line doesn’t show it but he actually went ok last time, they just sprinted and left him flat-footed. He’ll go his usual honest race.”

Race 2: Angelic Copy
6.16pm

“She and Linda train and trial together and are much more forward than the others. She’s a proper little tradesman who can do whatever you want and she tries hard.”

Race 2: Prince Lincoln
6.16pm

“He’s not as forward as the fillies. He’s still learning and can do nothing but improve.”

Race 2: Lincoln Lover
6.16pm

“He’s another who will benefit from the experience but he’s by Bettor’s Delight and they tend to lift their game when the money’s up.”

Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.16pm

“She has a bit of speed but is not as tractable as Linda - she doesn’t handle the corners quite as well and might be a little better left-handed. But she’s as good as any of them at the moment and, in the small field, should get her chance.”

Race 2: Lincoln Linda
6.16pm

“Though drawn the outside, she should really be the one to beat, based on her trial. She’s quite a strong filly, who is well gaited and should go forward. Maurice (McKendry) has driven her two or three times and he likes her.”

Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.08pm

“He should be dangerous against what is not a wonderful bunch. He trialled well, a nose behind Lewey Maguire (home in 56.4). All three of mine are nice horses and should be right there.”

Race 4: Tyson
7.08pm

“He was laying in on the corners last time at Cambridge and it was just a sprint home. He needs to be driven a bit more aggressively - he’s gone his best races when he’s been put in the race. Remember he sat parked when third to Arna’s good one (Chase Me) in December. He can tough it.”

Race 4: Colonel Lincoln
7.08pm

“He’s training down well, as good as you could expect. He’s done nothing wrong in three starts back. The outside draw is an inconvenience but, when he slots in, he won’t be far off them.”

Race 7: Kevin Kline
8.38pm

“He got held up last time and the winner got away on him. He should get a nice trip from one. He’ll go another honest race and will be in it for a while.”

Race 7: Debbie Lincoln
8.38pm

“She could be quite a nice filly. The way she’s developing I think she’ll be competitive against the better fillies later in the year. She’s quite versatile and can race tough. She has a lot of potential.”

Race 7: Frisco Bay
8.38pm

“He’d be on a par with Debbie for speed but he can get a bit carried away. Hopefully he can get a nice suck into it. I can’t fault the way they’re training and whichever of the two gets the best trip should win.”

Whales Harness