Ray: He’s becoming one of those serious horses that people will talk about for years to come

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.