Copy That does just that and repeats in IRT NZ Cup

Defending champion Copy That (American Ideal) etched his name further into the annals of New Zealand harness racing history this afternoon by becoming the 14th pacer to win consecutive $600,000 Group One IRT NZ Trotting Cups at Addington Raceway.

The five-year-old entire joins an illustrious list of two-time winners of the race, and in doing so lived up to his name almost perfectly.

Because while the field was deeper and vastly superior to the one he faced 12 months earlier, Copy That, did just that. Adopting the same tactics as last year in stepping and leading the Cup field on a merry dance for the majority of the 3200m journey.

Once Copy That and Blair Orange began as well as they did and were able to work forward and wrestle the lead off  Spankem (Bettor’s Delight) without much fuss, it was ominous signs for the opposition.

“I was confident he was going to go good,” said his trainer, Ray Green.

“But these stand starts; you never know what’s going to happen. Once he led, I was pretty confident, and I couldn’t see him getting beaten. He’s very tough, he’s got it all and he’s very special,” he said.

The much talked about mid race pressure many assumed would come from Australian visitor Rock N Roll Doo never eventuated after the five-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven tangled away from the barrier tapes, effectively ending his Cup aspirations in the process.

Once Orange and Copy That found the top with a little over 2600m to go, it was doubtful the pair would be handing to anyone. However, none of the other runners chanced their arm until B D Joe (Roll With Joe) and Benjamin Butcher arrived to apply mid race pressure with 1400m left to run.

Krug (Bettor’s Delight) and Carter Dalgety soon joined them to make a line of three and for the final lap at least, the defending champ was not going to have things all his own way.

Like all champions, however, Copy That was able to withstand the counter punches from his rivals and deliver a knockout blow when it mattered most.

“I knew we were getting away with it pretty easy there for a portion of the race and I was expecting them to come around at some stage,” said his pilot Blair Orange.

“Obviously with Krug getting locked three wide, there was a wee bit of pressure for the last lap, but he was good enough to hold them out,” he said.

Turning for home, Copy That first broke the heart of Krug and soon had B D Joe at his mercy. Spankem and Natalie Rasmussen popped out of the trail and were in hot pursuit and with Akuta (Bettor’s Delight) working into the race four wide and dragging Self Assured (Bettor’s Delight) and Majestic Cruiser (Art Major) with him, challenges soon mounted. But they were mostly in vain.

The winning time of 3:54 flat off the front was nine tenths of a second outside Lazarus’ race record set in 2016 and gave those in behind very little chance of reeling the North Island pacer. In the finish, the winning margin of three-quarters of a length was somewhat flattering to the chasing pack.

“The last 100m he was a tired horse and luckily, we had put enough of a gap in them that the swoopers couldn’t quite get him,” said Orange.

“He was lovely and relaxed in the warmup and he looked great. He travelled well most of the run and we couldn’t have wished for a better result really. He’s such a dude. He knows he’s a boy and he knows he’s good because he lets you know, he’s just a cool horse,” he said.

When asked what the feeling was like leading the Cup field up the home straight for a second year running, Orange was quick to point to a missing factor in last year’s success.

“The crowd brings the atmosphere and having them back here today was fantastic. The kids are here and so are Mum and Dad and we will all enjoy it,” he said.

For trainer Ray Green, the emotion of a second New Zealand Trotting Cup and his first on track was clearly an emotional one.

“It was great indeed, we won last year too obviously but it wasn’t the same as being here this year.

Shortly after the race, presenter Nicole Sims alluded to the special bond between Green and Copy That when she surmised that the pair were ‘best mates’.

“You’ve just nailed it,” he said.

Short and sweet, but there is never anything frilly when it comes to the great man that is Ray Green. What you see is what you get, and that is a champion bloke who is a champion at his craft. A bloke who goes about his work quietly.

And while he would never tell you how good he is as a trainer; Green has never been afraid to let the public know what he thinks of his dual New Zealand Cup winner.

And why wouldn’t he love him, Green’s own wife Debbie secured him infamously for $7000 as a weanling before selling on to Merv and Meg Butterworth and paying off a good chunk of the mortgage in the process.

Two New Zealand Cups and multiple Group Ones later, Copy That has set the Kumeu couple up for life.

Green was over the moon with the way Copy That was handled by New Zealand’s premiere reinsman and didn’t outright dismiss the prospect of lining up behind the mobile on Show Day in the G1 New Zealand FFA.

“That’s why Blair is the leading driver, and he inspires confidence in you when you see him on board.

“I’m going to think about it and will talk to Merv and Meg. We will probably see how he pulls up; he looks like he has pulled up great, but we will just wait and see,” said Green.

Back-to-back Cup wins by Copy That made Merv and Meg Butterworth the first Australian owners to win our greatest race on three occasions having also won with Arden Rooney (Bettor’s Delight) back in 2015.

With travel restrictions not allowing for the Victorian couple to attend last year’s triumph, being on track to see his star pacer win his second consecutive Cup was enormous thrill for Merv.

“When you think of the population of Christchurch and the fact that Addington is packed on a day that isn’t even a holiday, it’s incredible. It captures Australasia’s imagination and what other race could deliver that on a day that isn’t a public holiday. It’s special and it’s an event that can only be replicated by Addington once a year,” said Butterworth.

“He’s a special horse and he’s lightly raced and still has a great future.

“Ray and Debbie live with the horse and I’m pretty sure Ray sleeps with the horse. He knows the horse so well and he knows within an inch how to train this horse for an event. The only difference between Ray and I is about five years,” he laughed.

Butterworth also alluded to a particular clothing item that we will no doubt see him wearing again next year.

“It’s the same tie I have worn three times now for three cups,” laughed Butterworth.

Like Green, Butterworth was ecstatic at the brilliant drive from Blair Orange having been the one to make the decision to book the Canterbury reinsman some two years ago, firstly for all South Island drives of Copy That, and latterly as his regular pilot.

“I first met Blair when he worked at All Stars when we had horses with Mark Purdon, and I took special notice of him. He is just a special driver and there is nobody better then Blair at Addington. That was my commitment with Blair for Addington, and he’s proven it,” he said.

COPY THAT REPLAY

Majestic Cruiser was incredible in second having not long stepped off a plane from Victoria and Spankem was great in adding another NZ Cup placing to his resume.

Of the others, Akuta was gallant in his attempt at becoming the first three-year-old winner of our greatest race getting within a length and three quarters of the winner, and 2020 winner Self Assured was the run of the race in fifth after working wide and being held up at a crucial stage in the run home.

Copy That was bred by Woodlands Stud NZ and is out of the Live Or Die mare, Lively Nights.

The fact Copy That is an American Ideal entire poses a unique prospect for his future with a stud career now all but cemented after dual NZ Cup success. The fact he was able to achieve this feat on a day where three other NZ Cup winning stallions were paraded to the huge Canterbury crowd is serendipitous to say the least.

For complete Cup Day results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink