Top 12

The Race By Grins – Track Record

PHOTO: Trish Dunell

Speed turns slot race into procession

2200 metre mobile, Cambridge April 14, 2023

It might not have been ranked as a Group I race but Copy That’s biggest payday came in New Zealand’s most international event, the $1 million The Race By Grins at Cambridge.

In what would be the last of his 33 wins, Copy That turned the 2023 slot race into a procession, streaking to the front inside the first 200 metres and leaving Old Town Road, Self Assured and Australian Better Eclipse in his wake.

His time of 2:36.3 was a track record and represented a mile rate of 1:54.3, the ease of his win allowing driver Blair Orange a rare victory salute.

The winner’s purse took the entire’s bankroll to just on $2 million and cemented his position as one of the very best pacers of recent decades.

Copy That became New Zealand’s 12th standardbred to earn more than $2 million and, with 33 wins, he eclipsed the tallies of five on that list, Smolda (32), Terror To Love (31), Self Assured (30), Changeover (29) and Elsu (27).

Another five ahead of him also boosted their totals significantly by racing in the United States – notably champion trotter Lyell Creek (56), Bit Of A Legend (53), Christen Me (51), Have Faith In Me (49) and Lazarus (37).

Copy That’s earnings would also have been considerably higher had racing not stopped during the Covid pandemic, when he looked to have the NZ Derby at his mercy, and had he not fractured a splint bone in Victoria, which sidelined him for eight months.

The Grins was Copy That’s 16th win at 2200 metres but a mark of his versatility was that he won at 10 different distances from 1609 metres to 3200 metres.

Trainer Ray Green described Copy That as a remarkable horse and easly the best he’s trained.

While the stable’s Auckland Cup winner Sir Lincoln had been a very good horse, Copy That was in a different league – “world class.”

Few at Cambridge that night would have argued with him, certainly not the Karapiro sweepstake ticket-holder Wayne Keoghan, yelling his lungs out trackside, as the little horse he’d never heard of three days earlier won him a cool $50,000.

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

New Zealand Trotting Cup – Group l

PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images

Point proven after 2020 robbery

3200 metre stand, Addington November 9, 2021

Copy That proved a point in devastating style when he trounced Self Assured by three and a half lengths in the 2021 cup, confirming just how unlucky he was not to win the previous year.

Copy That started favourite in the 2020 edition but in one of the worst starts to the country’s richest race, which later had horsemen and punters demanding a change to the starting procedure, his race was virtually over before it began.

Horses drawn on the outside got a flyer, eventual winner Self Assured already pacing at speed when the tapes were released, while the five horses drawn the inside were virtually motionless.

Copy That, standing on the inside, was one of the worst affected, his driver Blair Orange adamant his chances were extinguished.

The shambolic start saw Copy That settle at the rear and, after having to make a big run round the field to park, he ran out of petrol in the home straight, finishing eighth.

There were no such hurdles in 2021 when, with stricter rules in force, Copy That made a good getaway and, in a perfectly scripted move, Orange took the front from Classie Brigade with ease.

Trainer Ray Green, watching the race from the barn at Lincoln Farms in Pukekohe because of Auckland’s Covid border restrictions, could hardly believe what an easy trip Copy That was gifted.

And by the time Natalie Rasmussen took South Coast Arden to the death and Purdon slotted Self Assured into the one-one, it was too late as Copy That reeled off a blistering last 800 in 54.4 and 400 in 27.5.

Orange had the race well in control as he cruised to a two and a half length win over Self Assured, who chased in vain, with South Coast Arden third, a neck further back.

Green said with a run like that, Copy That was “virtually unbeatable in this part of the world”.

“It’s hard to acquire horses like him, they don’t come along very often.

“He’s the best I’ve had. We had King of Swing but sold him early in the piece. But this guy’s the whole package.”

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

New Zealand Trotting Cup – Group l

PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images

Third fastest time in Cup history

3200 metre stand, Addington November 8, 2022

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.”

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

Wondai’s Mate

PHOTO: Dan Costello

Whirlwind finish most exciting ever

1660 metre mobile, Albion Park July 3, 2021

Both trainer Ray Green and owner Merv Butterworth declared Copy That’s whirlwind finish in the Wondai’s Mate feature at Albion Park as the most exciting win of their careers.

And the blistering speed the horse showed to come from near last on the home turn convinced Green that Copy That was ready for Brisbane’s marquee event, the A$250,000 The Rising Sun.

“To be honest I didn’t think we had a prayer tonight,” Green said after driver Anthony Butt returned to a hero’s reception.

“When I saw him buried four deep in the running, I thought we ain’t going to get a run.

“But they went so hard in front most of them were on their knees at the finish and we were in full flight. Halfway up the straight he had them.

“Anthony was amazed at the speed he showed but that’s his forte. It was a stroll in the park for him.

“It was magic stuff and, yes, that would be my most exciting win because I didn’t expect it.”

Copy That clocked a mile rate of 1:52.7 but Butt looked to have plenty up his sleeve as he sat quietly on the horse, winning, going away, by 1.9 metres over Balraj, Rockin Marty and the leader Spankem, with Colt Thirty One only sixth after sitting in the breeze.

Butterworth said he’d never been so excited about winning a race, and the thrill topped even his New Zealand Cup triumph with Arden Rooney, even though the stake of A$14,805 was a pittance in comparison to the $412,500 Christchurch prize.

“We had the best driver, the best trainer and the best horse, we had everything going for us, and all we needed was a bit of lady luck which we got.

“Ants is the best of the top drivers and when he’s confident, you can’t beat him.”

Green reported Copy That had pulled up well after the race and could only be improved with the run, his first for nearly a month.

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

Sunshine Sprint – Group l

PHOTO: Dan Costello

He sat parked and downed the King

1660 metre mobile, Albion Park July 17, 2021

Owner Merv Butterworth has put a $1 million price tag on his superstar pacer Copy That, narrow winner of a thrilling Sunshine Sprint in Brisbane.

In one of the closest and most exciting finishes seen at Albion Park, the Lincoln Farms’ speed machine held off swooping late sprints by King Of Swing and Rockin Marty in a nose and nose photo finish that even Copy That’s driver Anthony Butt could not pick.

The effort prompted owner Merv Butterworth, stuck in Melbourne because of Covid restrictions, to rank the horse in the top few in Australasia and he revealed that bloodstock agents had tried to buy him during the week.

“The Americans asked me to put a price on him and I said $1 million. They coughed.”

Butterworth said he didn’t believe the price to be inflated.

“He’s earned nearly $600,000 in only 31 starts and in half of those he didn’t know how to race.”

Butterworth praised Anthony Butt for the confident way he drove Copy That – “parking those horses three wide.”

After being outsped from five on the gate, Butt managed to expertly manoeuvre Copy That into the one-out one-back possie.

But when Colt Thirty One started to mount a run from the back, Butt was out quick as a flash to go up to breeze outside pacemaker Turn It Up.

And Butt said afterwards his faith in the horse allowed him to hold that position and park the three-wide train.

When Copy That kicked strongly early in the home stretch he thought he would hold his rivals.

“Then in the last couple of strides it got really close and I didn’t know if I’d won.

“The world’s at his feet now. His manners are getting really good – he’s becoming a professional racehorse.”

Copy That clocked a mile rate of 1:52.4 for the 1660 metres.

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

Ballarat Cup – Group l

PHOTO: Stuart McCormick

Ballarat Cup ‘ridiculously easy’

2710 metre mobile, Ballarat July 21, 2023

Trainer Ray Green thought Copy That stamped himself as clearly the best horse in Australasia when he scored a “ridiculously easy” win in the A$150,000 Ballarat Cup.

“They didn’t even get a smell of him,” Green said after the dual New Zealand Trotting Cup hero led all the way to win untested by 2.8 metres, easily staving off late challenges from Honolua Bay and Triple Eight.

“That was the easiest-looking win he’s had for the last six months. When I heard he’d run his second quarter in 30.1, I thought ‘how are they going to beat him’?

“And I knew on the corner when they were all off the bridle that they wouldn’t catch him. He left them to it.”

Green said even though the commentator got a little excited when Triple Eight zipped out of the pack, it took only one flick on Copy That’s bum by driver Blair Orange to see the horse pick up again – “and it was see you later.”

Green said Copy That once again showed he was nigh on impossible to run down.

“He’s never been beaten in front when he’s got there easily. Even Self Assured hasn’t been able to get him at home.”

Copy That was credited with a time of 3:15.7 for the mobile 2710 metres, a mile rate of 1:56.2, with closing splits of 28.7, 30.1, 28.8 and 27.3.

“I’m thrilled for the horse. It’s a different Copy That this time to the previous trip to Australia (when he was coming back from injury and four months of confinement).

“You always worry before a race like this, after a big trip, but that was ridiculously easy. And it’s looking good for further down the track.”

Green was rapt for stable foreman Andrew Drake, who looked after Copy That on the trip, and Orange who, from few opportunities in Australia, was scoring only his third win across the Tasman.

“Blair is so cool under fire. You could see him looking across and thinking: ‘Where the hell are they’?”

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

Gammalite Free-for-all

PHOTO: Stuart McCormick

Jack: Stronger than ‘Quinny’

1720 metre mobile, Melton September 17, 2022

Top driver Nathan Jack put Copy That on a pedestal with champion Im Themightyquinn after he smashed his rivals in the Gammalite Free-for-all at Melton, clearing out to win as he pleased.

Jack said Copy That gave him the kind of feel which only really good horses do.

“I was lucky enough to drive Im Themightyquinn, but that was a different sort of feel,” Jack said. “Quinny was just a fast horse, where this horse feels a lot stronger. He feels exceptionally good.”

Copy That might not have the bankroll yet of the West Australian star, winner of 58 races and A$4.5 million, but trainer Ray Green said the prospect of having the horse right back to his best was very exciting.

“He’s pulled up really well too. You wouldn’t know he’d been out there. He’s dragging me around now as he’s cooling off.

“He’s got a great constitution, nothing worries him. He’s fearless.”

Copy That made no bones about his 25th win which took him within sniffing distance of the $1 million mark, his total now $986,165.

Green praised the drive of Nathan Jack who, from one on the second row, eased into the running line to follow Lochinvar Art round the field, securing the perfect one-one sit.

“We couldn’t have wished for a better trip than that. He’s the best horse over here but at this level you still need luck and we got it tonight.

“Nathan said he switched off halfway up the straight. But I warned him he might do that and he had to keep driving him.”

Expected challenges from the two favourites Lochinvar Art and Bondi Lockdown never eventuated and Copy That cruised to the line to score by 3.6 metres in a 1:54.2 mile rate for the 2240 metres, the closing sectionals in 56.7 and a comfortable 29.2.

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

Dunstan Pace – Track Record

PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images

McKendry:1:52 flat and jogging

1700 metre mobile, Auckland August 6, 2020

It’s very rarely that you hear top driver Maurice McKendry rave about a horse – but he could barely contain himself after Copy That thrashed the best northern pacers at Alexandra Park.

McKendry has been driving for 45 years and reined home 3276 winners who have earned more than $29 million in stakes. But few have impressed him like Lincoln Farms’ missile did when he cleared out to win the Dunstan Pace by five lengths from top mare Belle Of Montana and Triple Eight.

With McKendry only raising the reins a few times in the home straight, and showing him the whip, Copy That hurtled to the line in 1:58.3 for the mobile 1700 metres, a staggering mile rate of 1:52 flat in less than ideal conditions.

And despite the four-year-old clocking a supersonic 53.8 for his last 800 metres and 26.2 for his final 400, McKendry said the horse felt like he could have gone quicker if pushed.

“He was unreal,” said McKendry shaking his head. “When I let him down in the straight it was like he’d just joined in.

“What impressed me the most was the way he did it. It was just so easy for him.

“I thought Sir Lincoln was fast but this guy is better and I think he’ll be more tractable too. You’ll be able to sit him in behind, come out and go whoosh.”

McKendry drove Lincoln Farms’ champion Sir Lincoln to a New Zealand record 2:00.5 for 1700 metres at Alexandra Park in 2013.

Copy That’s time was 2.2 seconds faster than that and only two tenths of a second outside Mossdale Connor’s national mark for colts and geldings.

McKendry talked to excited Melbourne owner Merv Butterworth immediately on returning to the stable.

“You’ve got a nice one Merv,” he said. “I think he’s a very good horse. Ray (Green) reckons he’s the best horse he’s trained and I think he’s right.

“He just skims across the ground.”

On hearing Copy That’s time, McKendry said, given the ease of his win, he believed the horse would be capable of pacing 1:50 for a mile.

Green reckons in the United States Copy That could clock 1:47.

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

Dunstan Horsefeeds – NZ record

PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson

NZ record from a 70 metre handicap

2700 metre stand, Cambridge October 28, 2022

Trainer Ray Green had an usual reaction to Copy That’s staggering win from a 70 metre handicap at Cambridge.

Green knew his horse’s 3:16 clocking for the standing 2700 metres was a New Zealand record, slicing 1.2 seconds off Triple Eight’s old mark, an effort that saw the crowd give the horse a standing ovation on his way back to the stables.

But the enormity of Copy That’s feat – he’s the first pacer to overcome such a long mark in at least 42 years – really only became apparent when Green was told the horse’s sectional times.

Incredibly, Copy That paced his last 2200 metres in 2:38.3, only six tenths of a second outside the track record for the distance.

And he ran his last mile in a white hot 1:52.7. Compare that to the Cambridge track record for a flying mile of 1:51.6, jointly held by Adore Me and South Coast Arden, just a second quicker than Copy That who ran 1100 metres before reaching his last mile.

“I hope he hasn’t gone too well,” Green said. “I was hoping we didn’t have to do something like that. I just hope he pulls up ok.

“But we’ve got some time up our sleeve, it’s 10 days ’til the cup.”

It wasn’t surprising driver Zachary Butcher reported to Green that Copy That was feeling it near the finish – he ran from the mile to the 800 in 56.8, then ripped home in 55.9 and 27.8.

While it might have looked like Copy That was struggling to make up the leeway on his main rival, Hot And Treacherous, who had a 20 metre start, Butcher said the horse knew what he was doing.

“The horse was thinking for me and we got a bit of a breather when we caught the field.”

It was Butcher’s first drive on Copy That in a race for three years and three weeks but he said the horse always had a great will to win.

“The last time I drove him he was a green, two-win horse but now he has great manners. He doesn’t overdo it and, when you’re going into a two-mile race, you need to be relaxed, you can’t be getting too keen.”

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS

NZ Messenger Championship – Group l

PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images

Purdon: Best in the country

2700 metre mobile, Auckland April 30, 2021

Harness racing great Mark Purdon gave Copy That the ultimate accolade after the star pacer notched his Group One double in the NZ Messenger Championship at Alexandra Park.

Purdon made a special visit to Lincoln Farms’ stable quarters after the race to congratulate trainer Ray Green on Copy That’s dominant win over Bad To The Bone and his own drive Amazing Dream who couldn’t get closer than 2.2 lengths at the finish.

“Copy That could be the best horse in the country,” Purdon said. “He’s something special.

“It’s good to have a horse like that, it’s good for the game.”

The statement is especially significant because Purdon, who is on a training sabbatical but still helps trainer Hayden Cullen, prepared topliner Self Assured to win the New Zealand Cup last November.

Green was gracious in receiving the praise and said he believed Copy That was every bit as good as Self Assured.

“Disregarding the New Zealand Cup which was a debacle, Self Assured hasn’t been able to get past him. And I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

Maurice McKendry, the country’s second most successful reinsman behind Tony Herlihy, described Copy That as “freaky”.

“He was brilliant, better than last week (when he won the Taylor Mile). He got stronger as the race went on and at the half I knew nothing would catch me.”

It wasn’t surprising that Copy That had a one and a half length buffer at the line as he reeled off a closing half in a staggering 54.2, home in 27, to record 3:18.8 for the mobile 2700 metres.

“Sir Lincoln went 3:19.5 in winning the Auckland Cup,” McKendry said of Lincoln Farms’ former headliner.

“He’s just gone 3:18.8 and he did it so easily. And look at him, he’s just about recovered already.”

COPY THAT’S TOP 12 WINS