Copy That with driver Maurice McKendry in the Harness Jewels colours. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Latest Covid lockdown could leave Merv out in the cold again for Copy That’s Jewels tilt
By Barry Lichter • 27 May 2021
Victoria’s latest Covid-19 lockdown threatens to stop Copy That’s owner Merv Butterworth from coming to New Zealand for the Harness Jewels on Sunday week but he’s still hoping for some luck at tomorrow’s barrier draw.
Butterworth and his wife Meg had been booked to fly from Melbourne to Auckland on Wednesday in plenty of time for the Cambridge marquee event for which Copy That is a commanding $2.30 favourite in the $100,000 Four-Year-Old Emerald.
And with Lincoln Farms set to line up four other horses on the day - American Dealer, Tommy Lincoln, Arden’s Horizon and Sugar Apple - a big day is in store.
But Victoria will go into a seven-day circuit-breaker lockdown tonight after 11 new community cases of Covid-19 were announced today, bringing the total for the new cluster to 34.
And with the latest outbreak the extremely contagious Indian variant, and more than 10,000 primary or secondary contacts identified, Butterworth fears the lockdown might be extended further than next Friday morning.
Butterworth says he had been looking forward to seeing Copy That race in the end-of-season thriller after not being able to come to New Zealand during the horse’s brilliant winning streak.
It’s been nearly 15 months since Butterworth has been on track to see Copy That, the last time at Auckland on March 6, 2020 when the horse was a certainty beaten behind Amazing Dream in the Northern Derby, held up badly on the home turn before flying home late for second.
Since then Copy That has raced 19 times for 12 wins, three seconds and a third.
Copy That has enjoyed a spectacular run this season, winning 10 of his 16 races and earning $278,642, and until last Friday, had not been beaten this calendar year.
Butterworth is hoping he will still have time to get here if the transtasman bubble reopens next Friday.
“But if we can’t oh well, we won eight cups with Arden Rooney and didn’t see one of them. And the horse didn’t know we weren’t there.”
Butt drives in Brisbane
In the meantime Butterworth has been finalising plans for Copy That’s Queensland winter campaign and today revealed he had engaged top ex-pat Kiwi driver Anthony Butt to drive the horse in Brisbane.
Butterworth says he’s a great believer in horses for courses and while Maurice McKendry is a good fit for Alexandra Park, which he knows so well, and Blair Orange is an Addington expert, he will be committed to Krug for the $A250,000 The Rising Sun. It was important to have someone at the reins with local knowledge in Australia.
“You’ve got to know the local courses and the habits of the horses and drivers and there’s nobody better than Anthony Butt.”
Butt’s aggressive style should suit Copy That admirably for his four-race campaign which includes:
July 3: A$25,660 Wondai’s Mate Open NR 90+. 1660m
July 10: A$250,660 The Rising Sun. 3 & 4yo. 2138m.
July 17: A$100,000 Sunshine Sprint. Group I. 1660m.
July 24: A$250,660 Blacks A Fake. Group I. 2680m.
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Major Achievement
5.19pm
“It’s his first race for a while and he hasn’t been setting the world on fire at the workouts. But he’s been racing better animals and this isn’t a stellar bunch. He’s a chance if things go his way. I’ve given Mathew Salaivao the drive.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.19pm
“He’s an average horse but the last time he raced here in amateur company he all but won. He’ll need luck from the second row but, while I couldn’t label him, he’s a runner’s chance.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
6.59pm
“She got a bit sick for a while with a virus and I had to back off her. She seems over that now but I’m picking she’ll need a race. This will be like a glorified trial for her.”
Race 8: My Copy
8.14pm
“He came to the end of it so I gave him a little freshen-up and he seems in good shape again. It will be interesting to see how he goes fresh - he may need a race but he’ll appreciate the step-down in class. I’m running him here so he doesn’t come up against any bear cats first-up.”
Race 9: Lincoln Cove
8.47pm
“Hopefully he’s getting better but you’ve just got to take him on trust. He has ability but the desire has been sadly lacking. Zac will have to sit quietly on him as he broke when given only one tap with the stick last time. The small field will suit him as he won’t be too far off them. If he doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll give them a fright.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Leo Lincoln
6.43pm
“Maurice said he would have finished a lot closer last time than sixth (fourth or even third) had he not locked wheels at the 100. That took all his momentum away. He’s been holding his form well and he gets out well enough to use the inside draw. He’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.39pm
“He did have marks on his boot after his last run and trying a spreader on him has helped. But he’s a real baby. He has real ability but he’s still developing mentally and physically and we’re still finding our way with him.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.39pm
“He’s racing well but he’ll find it tough from the outside draw.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.07pm
“I can’t see her improving enough to give the Purdon/Phelan trio a fright. She can go (fast) enough but still has a lot to learn. The main thing for her is getting round safely. She’s put two in a row now so hopefully she’ll start improving.”
Race 10: Lincoln La Moose
9.59pm
“He had an excuse last time - he got wiped out on the first corner and that was the end of his race. I like him, he’s a nice horse, just not quite as experienced as Frisco Bay.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.59pm
“I lean towards Frisky as the better chance of our two. You can’t fault what he did the other night at Cambridge, and he seems to be on the improve. He’s more reliable than Lincoln La Moose.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 6: Captain Nemo
9.40pm NZ time
“I rate him a good top three chance. I’m really happy with the horse. It’s a decent drop in grade for him and I think maybe we roll the dice, go forward, and take our chances. As long as he doesn’t have to burn stupidly off the gate, if he can find the top, they’ll know he’s in the race.”
