Ray: Copy That knows he’s good now and he’ll eat up the derby distance next week

Don’t be fooled into thinking that Copy That will be vulnerable over the longer distance of next week’s Northern Derby just because One Change was making big inroads into his lead at Auckland tonight.

Driver David Butcher was sitting very quietly in the cart behind Copy That up the home straight, one quiet tap the only encouragement the colt needed to maintain a one length margin at the end of the fast-run 2200 metres.

Moments after Copy That won the Derby Prelude in a sizzling 2:37.3, without his plugs being pulled, trainer Ray Green noted the horse had a habit of buttoning off when he had the job done.

“If David had given him a smack on the arse I think he would have cleared right out,” said Green. “He’s not only got high speed but a big engine as well - he can carry that speed a long way - and 2700 metres shouldn’t worry him at all next week.”

Green said Copy That was a very laid back individual at home but “puffed himself up” when he got to the races.

“He’s turned the corner and is starting to know he’s good.”

Butcher also reported Copy That had woken up to how good he is, tonight’s win his seventh in all and third from his last four starts, each time beating the All Stars’ One Change.

“When they’re winning all the time they start believing and he knows. That first race woke him up.

“We were really going quick early tonight, he had to do a little bit to get round them, then he was attacked (by Flying Even Bettor) in front.

“But he’s got real speed.”

Copy That’s time was faster than the New Zealand three-year-old record of 2:37.6 set by Have Faith In Me in December, 2014, a time since eclipsed by Ultimate Machete, who paced 2:36.1 in 2016.

It represented a mile rate of 1:55.1 and with closing sectionals of 56.2 and 27.9, the first two horses home skied away to a four and a half length margin over third-placed dead-heaters Tommy Lincoln and Flying Even Bettor.

Lincoln Farms’ Man Of Action also cemented his place in the $200,000 Woodlands Derby next Friday night by running fifth, clocking 2:39.