Progressive X-rays of Copy That’s injury show excellent healing of the splint bone. PHOTO: Ballarat Veterinary Clinic.
The champ’s back home, with a clean bill of health, crowing to everyone who will listen
By Barry Lichter • 5 May 2022
Star pacer Copy That is home - and crowing like a rooster letting everyone know it too.
The New Zealand Cup winner arrived back on a flight from Melbourne this morning, with an A1 report from top vet Brian Anderson and the go-ahead to resume work.
After four and a half months of being couped up in a box, trainer Ray Green says the horse seems very happy to be back at Lincoln Farms in Pukekohe.
“He’s put on a lot of weight and looks really good. I jogged him this morning and he was keen to get on with it.”
It will be a week or two before Copy That will really be able to stretch his legs, though, Anderson recommending the horse be initially restricted to a small yard.
Copy That will be confined to a small yard for a week or two to prevent him from hooning around. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Owner Merv Butterworth agrees that allowing Copy That to “gallop around a big paddock like Phar Lap” might undo all the hard work at Laura Dixon’s Dowling View equine rehabilitation.
The horse was sent there after a paddock accident in late December when it was discovered he had a hairline fracture of a hind splint bone, ending his Victorian summer campaign after only one start.
“After he has had a bit of work and let everyone know ‘the boss is back’, he can be placed in a larger yard,” Butterworth said.
The latest X-rays of Copy That’s off hind leg give Butterworth great comfort that Copy That will be able to return to his brilliant best.
The fracture lines are only just visible and, crucially, the bony callus - caused by the progressive formation of new healing bone - has not enlarged on two months ago and is not painful.
When examined at the Ballarat Veterinary Practice on April 28, Copy That was not lame behind in a straight line trot or in a circle.
While slightly sore in both front feet at the trot that was likely due to being in a yard with coarse sand for the last month.
The best part of Anderson’s report for Butterworth was the sentence: ’The prognosis for a return to racing is very good.’
Copy That will defend his New Zealand Cup crown in November. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.Green said Copy That would jog for the next month before another X-ray and a return to full race work.
“I’m happy to have him back, he’s our flagship,” Green said.
“It’s onwards and upwards now and the New Zealand Cup will be our main mission.”
Copy That, who smashed his rivals in the New Zealand Cup last season, enjoyed a stellar four-year-old year, winning 15 of his 25 races and $777,098.
His career record stands at 24 wins and 11 placings from 45 starts and a bankroll of $964,297.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Sammy Lincoln
6.18pm
“He was checked and locked wheels into the first turn last week and he had a decent puncture wound in his leg from where they ran into him so you certainly couldn’t condemn him for galloping. He’s a really nice horse, who is going to win races quickly. He hasn’t missed any work, and should be right in it.”
Race 3: Lincoln Wave
6.43pm
“He’s drawn wide again (six) but he’s good enough to get the job done. It’s a bit more of a test for him but there are no cup horses in there and he’s a pretty nice horse. We’ve waited for both him and Sammy Lincoln because of their setbacks at two but it’s been worth it.”
Race 4: Johnny Lincoln
7.11pm
“He was very tough in winning after sitting parked last week. He’s awkwardly drawn again but he tries hard and, with a bit of luck and a good trip, he can get some of it.”
Race 6: Tyson
8.08pm
“Completely forget his run last week when he had no luck in the running. He’s a definite chance.”
Race 6: Spiritual Bliss
8.08pm
“She took no harm from the incident last Friday and has trained on well. I think she’ll go well. If you analyse her run, they went down the back in 27.8 and she did well to finish on for fourth after sitting parked.”
