By Michael Guerin
Sometimes Copy That performs to a level that makes you wonder how he ever gets beaten.
The $50,000 Thames Goldfields Cup at Alexandra Park on Friday night was one of those moments.
The dual New Zealand Cup winner overcame a 30m backmark over 2200m and the rubber really hit the road at the 250m mark when he hit his impressive top speed to blaze over the top of a brave Hey Bartender.
The runner-up is no slouch, certain to end up in open class himself, but Copy That proved again that when he is fit, healthy and at home he is imperious.
He was last Friday when pacing a 1:52.3 mile at The Park, even better in the New Zealand Cup on November 8 and his two northern wins off 50m and then 70m handicaps before that were old-school awesome.
He has now won his last five starts, all stunning in their own way, and if he could carry that form with him all over Australasia he would be rated a champion, maybe an all-time great.
The little horse with the flying hooves may get a chance to take a step further down that path when he returns to Australia next month, maybe to both Victoria and New South Wales.
He has Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve first then the Ballarat and Hunter Cups, with Sydney for the Miracle Mile possible.
That is a lot of chances to prove himself again in arenas where his best form has been hard to capture.
Whether trainer Ray Green will go with him remains unclear but the good news if he is back at home and out of hospital after two stints there for stomach injuries from being kicked by a horse.
While Copy That’s brilliance enabled him to overcome his backmark in the pacing handicap an aggressive John Dunn drive meant Aardiebythehill gave those behind the front line no chance in the $50,000 Thames Members Trot, Friday’s other major race.
Returning to the track where he started his career with Derek Balle, Aardiebythehill was soon trailing but Dunn hooked him out of the trail and worked to the lead with a lap to go to keep the pressure on and that meant the horses off handicaps never got into the race, with the first four home being off the front.
“He is a good horse and getting better all the time,” said Dunn.
