Scintigraphy reveals knee injury but Copy That having X-rays now to confirm exact issue

Trainer Ray Green is hoping X-rays will reveal the exact nature of the injury which has ruled Copy That out of the $650,000 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup.

Green floated Copy That to Matamata today to undergo nuclear scintigraphy after he had been “noticeably off” since last Friday.

“Originally we thought it could be an abscess, as his foot was hot, and we were trying to resolve that, but the scintigraphy lit up his knee.

“We haven’t determined the full extent of the injury yet - they’re doing X-rays as we speak.

“Maybe he did have an abscess as well but his problem is a bit more sinister than that.

“Until we get a handle on it I don’t know what his future is but he won’t be in the New Zealand Cup and it’s going to be six months before he’s a racehorse again.”

Green said if the injury was a stress fracture it could be very hard to detect - “but I’m stabbing in the dark a bit.”

Green said Copy That wasn’t badly lame.

“He’s a happy horse, feeling great and bouncing, and walking around he’s fine, you wouldn’t notice anything. But when he gets out of a walk he’s noticeably off.”

Green theorised Copy That might have been feeling the knee for some weeks and it could have affected his performances in his first two starts when beaten into the placings.

While obviously disappointed, Green said he’d learned to roll with the punches.

“You have to be philosophical, he can’t go on forever. He’s done a fantastic job - not many do what he’s achieved.

“But he’s overcome hurdles before - he’s come back from a broken splint bone and won two cups and The Race by Grins and a Ballarat Cup - so who knows what he can do?

“He’s capable of returning but he’s a lot older now of course.”

Copy That’s record stands at 68 starts for 33 wins, 18 placings and $2,019,401 in stakes.