Poser for punters with Copy That racing on Thursday - from 55 metres behind in a sprint

Copy That will race at Auckland on Thursday night, despite having a testing 55 metre handicap over a sprint trip.

Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green confirmed this afternoon that the reigning New Zealand Cup winner would definitely run to best fit him for the big race in three weeks.

“It’s either that or go to the trials and there’s a big risk we’d end up going round by ourselves,” Green said. “We might as well race for $25,000 on Thursday.

“I dont care about the handicap - if he doesn’t win, he doesn’t win. I expect he’ll tack on - he usually begins well - and get a suck along. Then we’ll see what happens.”

Green couldn’t confirm a driver today for Copy That in the 2200 metre Breckon Farms Pace, not having spoken to Maurice McKendry who is also the regular driver of main rival Hot And Treacherous who is on the 40 metre tape.

Copy That returned home four days ago, very fit from a four-race Victorian campaign which culminated in a sterling fourth in the Victoria Cup, and Green says he has done very little with him since.

“He had a few days off and he’s just been jogging and done a bit of pacework, nothing fast yet. “Tomorrow he’ll have a faster run but not very strong.”

Green says he’ll see how Copy That pulls up after Thursday’s race but he could also be a surprise starter at Cambridge the following week. Cambridge has a 2700 metre stand programmed for rating 55 and faster horses.

“That would set him up beautifully for Christchurch with the cup run 11 days later.”

Copy That is equal third favourite on $9 with BD Joe for the $600,000 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 8, behind co-favourites Self Assured and Rock N Roll Doo.