Win, lose or draw on Saturday night the champ Copy That’s coming home next week
By Barry Lichter • 3 February 2023
Copy That will be on a flight home next week no matter where he finishes in the A$500,000 Hunter Cup at Melton.
Melbourne owners Merv and Meg Butterworth are adamant their champion won’t contest the A$1 million Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 4, even if he downs his opposition in Saturday night’s iconic race.
Instead, he will concentrate on a slew of races at home, including Cambridge’s $1 million slot race on April 14 and the $200,000 Auckland Cup on May 26.
Merv Butterworth dislikes the conditions of the Miracle Mile which, once an invitation-only race, now demands horses earn their place in lead-up races in the state.
“Menangle is also too unforgiving for horses having their first starts there. They go too fast and hard and you run the risk of not doing the right thing by your horse.
“We’re better off at home running in a million dollar race an hour up the road at Cambridge.”
It’s a plan trainer Ray Green fully supports and he is looking forward to seeing the horse back at Lincoln Farms on Thursday.
“You can’t go in all the big races and it makes absolute sense to come home and target our races - it’s quite a lucrative time here in Auckland in the next few months.”
Other key targets for the horse will be the $100,000 Taylor Mile at Auckland on April 21 and the $100,000 Messenger there a week later, races restricted to four-year-olds until last year.
Ray Green … “You can’t go in all the big races.”Hard week for Ray
Green had been hoping to be well enough to fly to Melbourne with wife Debbie to watch Copy That on Saturday but the last week has been far from plain sailing for him.
On a steady improving curve from extensive surgery to repair damage after being kicked in the stomach last November, Green first came down with a bad flu then a bladder infection.
“I had a fleeting hope of going over but that set me back a little and I’ll just have to watch it on TV now. Hopefully it will be a happy watch.
“I’m sure he’ll go well. Andrew (Drake) is very happy with how the horse has progressed since winning the Ballarat Cup.
“And I’m no too worried about the draw as we’ve got a good driver in Blair (Orange). It could be awkward or it could be good but that applies to them all.
“What it does do is give us options. He can stay out of trouble early, glide out and see what happens. He doesn’t have to lead.”
Green remains convinced Honolua Bay will provide Copy That with his most serious challenge, and the market reflects that, the horse backed in from an opening quote of $9 to equal second favourite at $5.50 with Spirit Of St Louis.
“From four he won’t have to do too much work to be handy and he’s a very fast horse.”
Held up until 200 metres out in the Ballarat Cup, after starting from a wide gate, Honolua Bay steamed home from well back for second.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mach Dan ($26) in the hunt either, as he was also unlucky at Ballarat.”
Copy That races at 11.07pm NZ time at Melton on Saturday night.
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Improving Johnny Lincoln prevails in thrilling finish and takes aim at Sires’ Stakes
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
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.”
