Ray and Debbie Green in happier times with My Copy who won again at Auckland on Friday night. PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson.
Seven hour operation can’t keep Ray down - he’s already barking out the orders
By Barry Lichter • 22 November 2022
Debbie Green always knew her husband Ray was tough.
But when the phone rang this morning and it was the hopsital nurse telling her Ray had woken up after a seven hour operation last evening, she was reminded of the resilience of horse people.
“I could hear Ray asking for his own phone so he could call the boys at the stable and tell them what to do for the day.”
Green, who just two weeks ago was the toast of the harness world after winning back-to-back New Zealand Trotting Cups with Copy That, was kicked by a young filly yesterday while undoing the clip on her cover.
Stable junior Monika Ranger saw the incident and rushed over to Green who was on the ground in obvious pain clutching at his stomach.
Green, 77, at first resisted being taken to hospital, saying he’d be OK and would just sit for five minutes in the tea room.
But it soon became obvious Green wasn’t going to recover without help and an ambulance was called to take him to Middlemore Hospital.
Surgeons who operated on Green told Debbie the kick “made a hell of a mess” with considerable bleeding from two main veins which were “smashed”. Removing the damaged sections and re-attaching them to his colon and bowel proved a lengthy process.
“I told the surgeon he was tough but he said it doesn’t matter how tough people are when you open them up. He says there’s still a chance of infection and it will take months to heal properly.
“But Ray’s attitude is very positive and he told me today it didn’t seem that bad.”
Remarkably, Green doesn’t bear any malice to the filly who had just come back in from a spell after being broken in.
“Ray said it’s just a young horse and they don’t know what they’re doing. But apparently the same filly had kicked out at Zac (Butcher) a few days earlier.”
Debbie Green said she’d been overwhelmed by the messages of support for Ray - her phone had been ringing non-stop.
Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street sat with Green and Ranger for several hours in the hospital waiting room yesterday afternoon where she was also surprised by a visit from Ben Jeffcoat, son of Pukekohe thoroughbred trainer Denise Jeffcoat.
She met Jeffcoat briefly about 18 months ago while being treated at A and E for a split knee.
Jeffcoat, who had been trodden on by a horse, was treated by the same nurse Nicole who, now his partner, was with him yesterday.
“I was stressed out and feeling sick yesterday when he arrived and Ben was amazing, he even drove me home. He told me how he was in awe of Ray, had introduced himself at the sales, and couldn’t believe how it was just like talking to one of the boys.”
More news in Harness
Forget the form line, Nemo is in Saturday’s race at Albion Park ‘right up to his ears’
Fine Cambridge double but Ray’s packing Lincoln Cove off to Matamata for scintigraphy
34 more meetings in the north next season as Auckland reclaims Friday nights
No way to sugar coat it - it’s tricky to predict what Sugar Ray will do on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Major Achievement
5.19pm
“It’s his first race for a while and he hasn’t been setting the world on fire at the workouts. But he’s been racing better animals and this isn’t a stellar bunch. He’s a chance if things go his way. I’ve given Mathew Salaivao the drive.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.19pm
“He’s an average horse but the last time he raced here in amateur company he all but won. He’ll need luck from the second row but, while I couldn’t label him, he’s a runner’s chance.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
6.59pm
“She got a bit sick for a while with a virus and I had to back off her. She seems over that now but I’m picking she’ll need a race. This will be like a glorified trial for her.”
Race 8: My Copy
8.14pm
“He came to the end of it so I gave him a little freshen-up and he seems in good shape again. It will be interesting to see how he goes fresh - he may need a race but he’ll appreciate the step-down in class. I’m running him here so he doesn’t come up against any bear cats first-up.”
Race 9: Lincoln Cove
8.47pm
“Hopefully he’s getting better but you’ve just got to take him on trust. He has ability but the desire has been sadly lacking. Zac will have to sit quietly on him as he broke when given only one tap with the stick last time. The small field will suit him as he won’t be too far off them. If he doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll give them a fright.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Leo Lincoln
6.43pm
“Maurice said he would have finished a lot closer last time than sixth (fourth or even third) had he not locked wheels at the 100. That took all his momentum away. He’s been holding his form well and he gets out well enough to use the inside draw. He’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.39pm
“He did have marks on his boot after his last run and trying a spreader on him has helped. But he’s a real baby. He has real ability but he’s still developing mentally and physically and we’re still finding our way with him.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.39pm
“He’s racing well but he’ll find it tough from the outside draw.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.07pm
“I can’t see her improving enough to give the Purdon/Phelan trio a fright. She can go (fast) enough but still has a lot to learn. The main thing for her is getting round safely. She’s put two in a row now so hopefully she’ll start improving.”
Race 10: Lincoln La Moose
9.59pm
“He had an excuse last time - he got wiped out on the first corner and that was the end of his race. I like him, he’s a nice horse, just not quite as experienced as Frisco Bay.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.59pm
“I lean towards Frisky as the better chance of our two. You can’t fault what he did the other night at Cambridge, and he seems to be on the improve. He’s more reliable than Lincoln La Moose.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 6: Captain Nemo
9.40pm NZ time
“I rate him a good top three chance. I’m really happy with the horse. It’s a decent drop in grade for him and I think maybe we roll the dice, go forward, and take our chances. As long as he doesn’t have to burn stupidly off the gate, if he can find the top, they’ll know he’s in the race.”
