Copy That romps clear at Alexandra Park with driver Maurice McKendry sitting still. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Ray: He’s becoming one of those serious horses that people will talk about for years to come
By Barry Lichter • 4 September 2020
If you thought Copy That was impressive in running just a second outside the New Zealand record at Auckland on Thursday night, wait ’til you hear what his driver Maurice McKendry had to say.
“He was just jogging,” McKendry told Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green. “And if I’d flicked him on the bum he’d had cleared out and put another four or five lengths on them.”
As it was, Copy That had a two and a half length margin on his rivals at the finish of the 2200 metres, run in a dazzling 2:36.4.
Compare that to Ultimate Sniper’s New Zealand record of 2:35.4, and the 2:36.1 clocked by Ultimate Machete and Dalton Bromac.
“Copy That ran it ridiculously easily while those others were on their knees doing it.”
Green said Copy That was setting the bar higher with every race.
“He’s making his own way now. He’s becoming one of those serious horses that people will talk about for years to come.
“I just hope we can keep him nice until the cup.”
Ray Green … Copy That is setting the bar higher with every race.Green says Copy That won’t race again until the $22,500 Spring Cup at Auckland on September 25.
Whether or not he’ll still be in the north for the $22,500 Holmes D G two weeks later remains to be decided.
Two runs earmarked in the south for the lead-up to the $540,000 New Zealand Cup are the $50,000 Ashburton Flying Sakes on Monday, October 26 and the traditional pre cup trial at Addington on November 4.
Green hopes that after the Auckland Cup in March Copy That will get his chance to show his wares in Australia, COVID-19 permitting.
The way Copy That coped with some serious attention in the lead on Thursday night suggests he will be well up to anything that Australia has to offer.
Forced to hum out of the gate to fend off an early challenge by Mach Shard, Copy That eventually relented down the back straight, the lead time of 39.4 one of the fastest commentator Aaron White could remember.
McKendry was off again 1250 metres out, retaking the front, before being attacked by Triple Eight from the bell.
Copy That was travelling so strongly turning for home McKendry allowed himself two looks over the shoulder, before pulling the plugs and sprinting clear, never moving in the run to the judge.
The expected challenge from Belle Of Montana, who was poised in the one-one turning for home, never eventuated and it was left to outsider Check In to flash up late for second.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
