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Debbie Green hugs driver Andre Poutama after My Copy’s big upset at Auckland tonight.

Proud owner Deb beaming as Andre gets rank outsider My Copy home at Alexandra Park

Debbie Green knows My Copy will never set hearts aflutter like his half-brother Copy That but she just loves watching him race.

And when the big black scored his seventh win for her at Alexandra Park tonight, despite being terribly off in the ratings, she was beaming with pride.

My Copy, inner, staves off the late-closing Twista. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.My Copy, inner, staves off the late-closing Twista. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.“That’s so exciting. He’s no superstar but he’s a nice horse and I’ve always wanted to see what he could run over a mile.”

My Copy’s 1:55.6 wasn’t the fastest of the night but for a rating 51 horse taking on pacers rated between R57 and R65 it was a pretty decent showing.

“America will be wanting him now,” said Green whose husband Ray trains the five-year-old at Lincoln Farms.

“He deserved that,” Ray Green said. “He’s been a good thing beaten in his last couple of starts.

“I can’t believe nobody bought him when he had him on the market for $40,000. He’s closing in on $100,000 now.

“If you had him in Australia you’d get a living off him as he’s such a tractable bugger.”

Greg Pope, representing race sponsor IRT, shares a joke with trainer Ray Green.Greg Pope, representing race sponsor IRT, shares a joke with trainer Ray Green.My Copy took his bankroll to $87,860 tonight winning the IRT. Your Horse Our Passion Pace, and despite being the rank outsider in the seven-horse field paying $14.20, Green had rated him a chance if he got the right trip from the pole.

And while driver Andre Poutama had to hunt him out at the start to hold the trail, and My Copy looked to be struggling across the top bend, he responded like the trooper he is.

“He’s so laid back you’ve got to make him do it,” said Poutama, pinch-hitting for holidaying regular driver Maurice McKendry.

“If you let him get away with it, he will.”

Debbie Green greets My Copy after his seventh win.Debbie Green greets My Copy after his seventh win.But under Poutama’s urgings, My Copy reeled off a 56.1 last half and 27 quarter to claim a head win over Twista, with the pacemaking Hugotastic a weakening third, three-quarters of a length away.

And Debbie Green was there on the track to meet her hero on his return, no doubt still picturing the hairy little midget by Highview Tommy she bought for $3000 at a weanling sale when he was just five months old.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Thurday night at Cambridge


Race 2: Dreams Of Eric
6.03pm

“He’s just come back from a two-week break and seems a lot better after the freshen-up. He’s training really well but this will be like a trial for him. There looks to be a lot of speed in the race so, from five, he won’t be put into the early rush. We’re still aiming him at the Harness 5000 at Ashburton in December.”

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 1: Kevin Kline
4.44pm

“He was held up last week but still got home really well, hard on their backs and, with the right trip, he’ll be dangerous. But the race looks suited to a horse like Hooray Henry who, in a small field, can sit back and outsprint them.

Race 9: Tyson
8.54pm

“We were looking to sit in with him last week but it didn’t work out. He still ran on pretty well as he always does. He just needs a bit of luck.”

Race 9: Debbie Lincoln
8.54pm

“Maurice was happy with her run last week and said she paced strongly through the line. From seven on the gate this week she’ll have to go back but I think she’s better coming from off the pace. She’s a good chance if she can get sucked into it at the right time.”

Race Images - Harness