Torrid trip just too much for Copy That at Cranbourne but Ray turns the page
By Barry Lichter • 19 December 2021
Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green will get Copy That blood tested tomorrow but doesn’t expect to find anything to explain his career worst run in Saturday night’s Cranbourne Cup.
“He just had too tough a trip,” said Green matter-of-factly today. “We’ll just have to turn the page.”
Green, who arrived a day late and under Covid restrictions wasn’t permitted to go to the track, had to drive 30km to see the race in a Kilmore TAB and said it was a very hard watch.
Copy That had to use plenty of petrol early as he was five, four then three wide round the first bend before driver Chris Svanosio blasted forward to try to wrest the lead from Amazing Dream.
But Svanosio quickly backed off when Anthony Butt quickened and sat parked until General Dodge pressed forward soon afterwards to give him cover.
But a couple of hundred metres later Svanosio left the one-one to take up the death seat again where he stayed until putting up the white flag on the home turn.
Ray Green … “I’m sure he’ll bounce back.”“He was still there on the corner but you could see he was struggling,” Green said.
“Chris gave him a slap and, to his credit, when there was nobody home he didn’t drive him up the straight. But it was still sad to see him drop out.”
Copy That ran last, 36 metres behind winner Supreme Dominator and 20 metres behind the second last horse with the mobile 2555 event run at a 1:57.8 mile rate.
“We told Chris to drive the horse aggressively but that was too much for him to deal with.
“We won’t worry about it. The horse is a little tired this morning but seems to have pulled up fine. He’s eaten everything. I’ll take a blood tomorrow to see where he’s at and he’ll have an easy two or three days.”
Green is confident Copy That can bounce back.
“He has a good constitution and looked beautiful going into the race.”
Copy That was to have had his next race in the Bendigo Cup on January 8 but Green says he’ll just play it by ear.
The horse seemed to be settling in well to his new surroundings at Svanosio’s Romsey stable even if he was a little bit more aware of his colt status than at home.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Tyson
5.06pm
“He hung badly all the way last time without a boring pole but that will be back on this week. And we’ve taken off his overcheck. He seemed to resent that. I trained him yesterday and he went really well. I expect him to go a lot better.”
Race 1: Sugar Ray Lincoln
5.06pm
“Fergie had to do an adjustment on the cart last week and the horse got fractious and just kicked out. I think he would have gone well but their policy is to scratch them if there’s any sign of blood. He’s certainly hard work but he trained well this week - he didn’t put a foot wrong and paced well.”
Race 2: The Rascal
5.46pm
“He still struggles on the corners going full out. He’s OK when they’re tootling along but when they sprint, he finds it difficult. The drivers just have to nurse him and, driven like that, he should be hard to beat.”
Race 4: Kevin Kline
6.58pm
“He never had a chance to get any money last time, when caught four back on the pegs - it was just one of those races. But he hit the line well and I’m pretty sure he’ll go well again. Mantra Blue is a good mare but she only fell in last time and she could be vulnerable from the 30 metre handicap.”
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
6.58pm
“He steps well and Fergie showed last time he really knows how to drive him. If he’s on the fence he doesn’t put a foot wrong, it’s only when he gets out wide that he can mix it up.”
Race 7: Lincoln Lover
8.46pm
“He’s as honest as they come but he’ll need a run or two to tighten him up. He hasn’t raced for a while and he’s a little fat guy.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.46pm
“He’s a lovely horse who been training really well and he won his recent workout in good time. He has a bit more lick than our other runner Lincoln Lover and he should go well this time in.”
