New Zealand Trotting Cup – Group l

Trainer Ray Green marvelled at the great constitution of Copy That after he won back-to-back New Zealand Trotting Cups, running the third fastest time in history.

After wresting an early lead from Spankem, driver Blair Orange rated the five-year-old perfectly and had enough petrol in the tank to stave off the challenge of Australian Majestic Cruiser by three-quarters of a length.

Copy That’s time in the cup, first run in 1904, was 3:54 flat, a mile rate of 1:57.6, and just one tenth of a second outside the time recorded by 2018 winner Thefixer and 0.9 of a second slower than 2016 record-holder Lazarus.

That Copy That could run the extreme trip so fast was a testimony to Green’s skills after his unorthodox road to the cup, which saw a detour to Melbourne as he tried to get the miles into his charge’s legs after eight months sidelined with injury.

Just 11 months earlier nobody really knew if Copy That would make it back to the big stage after he fractured a splint bone in a hind leg and had to be boxed for four months, an ordeal Green shared with him during his Covid stranding in Victoria.

Green said he started getting a bit choked up even before the race when the crowd cheered Copy That as he came out onto the track.

And he knew his horse was ready when he saw him gliding along in his preliminary.

“He was so relaxed. Nothing fazes him. He didn’t bat an eyelid at anything, even the crowd.

“It gave me a real buzz when they were really pleased to see him win. That was great for the horse. He’s got a little bit of a cult following now with fans and the punters, they’ve really warmed to him.”

“He’s the consummate professional. He’s got speed, a great gait, he’s tough, he has a great constitution, a terrific heart rate and recovery. He’s got it all.

“Some horses have some of those qualities but not often you get one with all of them. We’re very lucky to have him.”