Ray frustrated at lack of races for Copy That and may be forced to go south to Addington

Trainer Ray Green may be forced to trek to Christchurch to find races for star three-year-old Copy That, a smart winner at Friday’s Pukekohe workouts.

Green was frustrated that Copy That missed a start at Auckland last week when only he and Parker were nominated for the higher class event.

And Green says he can see the same thing happening again on Wednesday week when the next meeting is scheduled at Alexandra Park.

“The horse needs racing to find his top form and things don’t look very promising for him up here.

“I’ll have a talk with Merv (owner Merv Butterworth) but it’s looking more like we’ll have to race at Addington. Brian Rabbitt rang the other day to say they’ll be holding races for his class down there.”

Driver Maurice McKendry asks Copy That to step out soon after the start.Copy That has raced just once post COVID-19 when stand-in driver Maurice McKendry pulled him up mid-race after he started hitting the sulky wheels and bolted.

McKendry was in the cart again on Friday when Green instructed him to make sure the horse shed his lazy ways on the training track.

While he could not match the brilliant early gate speed of stablemate American Dealer, Copy That quickly worked forward for McKendry to take the lead after 300 metres.

And from then on he was never seriously tested, easily shrugging off the advances of Mighty Looee 400 metres from home and finding a nice sprint when tapped up in the run home.

Copy That had a two length margin on American Dealer at the post, running the 2050 metres in a slick 2:31.5, a mile rate of 1:58.9. He cut out his final 800 metres in 57 and 400 in 26 flat, much too speedy for his six rivals.

American Dealer, scratched from his race at Auckland last Wednesday because he was under offer, fought on well for a two-win horse.

He passed a vet inspection last week and the deal is expected to go through on Monday after results of a blood test are known.

Larry Lincoln … made up a big slice of ground after an early break.Larry Lincoln earned a following for Cambridge on Thursday night when he lost a huge stretch with a gate gallop yet still rounded up all but one of his seven rivals in the rating 40 to 57 heat.

Green said the horse, who is normally a very fast beginner, took exception to a ridiculously slow mobile start.

“It looked like they were waiting for a straggler. He got pulling and galloped when they finally dropped the clutch.”

Larry Lincoln, taken to the outside of the track, lost all his momentum and was a conservative 75 metres from the leader when Andre Poutama got him underway.

“Andre never really asked him to run but the little fella’s got a lot of speed so I’m not surprised he picked them up.”

At the post Larry Lincoln was only a length behind Afortunado, the leader clocking 57.2 and 27.4 for his final sectionals. The trip took 2:33.6, a mile rate of 2:00.6.

Fellow Cambridge candidate Apieceoflou had no luck in his maiden heat, also run left-handed.

He began well for Poutama from the second row and settled fourth in the early running before being three back for the last lap.

The Sweet Lou two-year-old was badly held up turning for home by the tiring Lincoln’s Gem and, after scrambling to negotiate the turn, the leaders had got away by the time Poutama could extricate him.

“Andre had to nurse him because he was hanging a bit on the corners,” said Green.

The heat was dominated by the Steve Telfer trainer pair of Secret Deal and Major Mac who covered the 2050 metres in 2:33.8, a mile rate of 2:00.7, with the closing splits in 58.1 and 27.7.

Strong Cambridge contingent

Apieceoflou really caught the eye with a paralysing home stretch sprint at the last Cambridge meeting and will be part of a strong contingent Green is looking to race there this week.

Others in contention are three qualifiers from the Lincoln Farms’ camp at Auckland last Wednesday - Louie The Punter, Brian Christopher and Aurora Stride.

Louie The Punter, who has been on a good improvement curve in the last month, led all the way for Zachary Butcher to hold Brian Christopher by a long neck.

Aurora Stride, a Somebeachsomewhere filly owned by Emilio Rosati, showed courage to lead her three rivals and fight back when headed to nose out Supasundae.