Ray’s all night vigil before Copy That’s demolition in The Grins at Cambridge

Trainer Ray Green took no chances with champion pacer Copy That in the final hours before tonight’s $1 million slot race, spending the night outside the horse’s box at Lincoln Farms.

Trainer Ray Green gets a well done hug from Lincoln Farms’ owner Lynne Street.Green removed the horse’s name from his box, parked his car alongside and cat-napped through the night, determined that nothing untoward could come to the hot favourite for the Race By Grins.

“For my own peace of mind I wanted to eliminate that scenario, however unlikely,” Green said.

Green might have been a little short on sleep when he sat down to watch Copy That score up behind the gate but the little horse’s electric gate speed soon had him wide awake.

And when he hit the winning post with his nose in front with two laps to run and Old Town Road immediately handed him the top, Green could see his long hatched plan coming to fruition.

From there, it was plain sailing, owner Merv Butterworth smiling throughout as he watched the race on his iPad in a Melbourne hospital recovery room after a hernia operation, and Karapiro sweepstake ticket-holder Wayne Keoghan yelling his lungs out trackside as the little horse he’d never heard of three days earlier won him a cool $50,000.

In the end it was one of Copy That’s most clinical wins as he cruised to the line one and three-quarter lengths clear of Old Town Road in a track record 2:36.3 for the 2200 metres, a mile rate of 1:54.3.

It was the 33rd win of has career, the $450,000 purse pushing his bankroll to a few thousand dollars short of $2 million, $1,985,801 to be exact.

Owner Merv Butterworth watches the race from his Melbourne hospital bed.But no-one was thinking of the dollars as they greeted Copy That and driver Blair Orange, Green’s wife Debbie weeping with joy, a succession of hugs bringing all the emotions to the surface for the woman who bought the horse for just $7000 as a weanling.

Later in the winners’ bar, one speaker after another feted Green’s great training achievement.

Cambridge chairman Graham Bowen described it as “a fantastic training feat.”

“You’ve had a rough six months so it’s great to see your horse come out on top,” Bowen said referring to Green’s near death experience last year when kicked by a horse.

One of the slot holders who shared in the spoils, Trevor Casey, gave the acceptance speech, in tandem with Butterworth who called during proceedings, revealing they’d hatched a plan to tackle the slot race all of 13 months ago.

Casey’s partner Kate Marriott chimed in: “We’re blessed to have Ray as a trainer. You are amazing, thank you so much.”

Green, never short of a quip, came back with “I think I’ve sacked most of your horses,” before giving Copy That all the credit.

“He’s a remarkable little horse, easily the best I’ve had. He overcomes adversity. You can make all the mistakes in the world and he’ll get you out of it. The good ones do that.

“You can under-train them, over-train them and it doesn’t matter. When push comes to shove, they just lift their game.”Sweepstake winner Wayne Keoghan and his wife Fiona giving Copy That some encouragement before the race.

Green said while the stable’s Auckland Cup winner Sir Lincoln was a very good horse, Copy That was in a different league - “world class.”

“He has a tremendous heart rate and recovery and his manners on the racetrack are impeccable.”

Copy That will be seen out again next Friday in the $90,000 Taylor Mile at Auckland, with the $90,000 Messenger a week later, leading into the $180,000 Auckland Cup on May 26.