By Adam Hamilton
There is some tough love coming up for Copy That and his stablemates in Melbourne.
Trainer Ray Green concedes two of his three raiders, headed by Copy That, were badly in need of racing when they were well beaten over the weekend.
Copy That burned early to find the lead in a scorching 26.7sec opening quarter and wilted late finish 21.7m away in eighth spot behind the raw and exciting four-year-old Rock N Roll Doo.
The other shock of the race was the end of Honolua Bay’s nine-race running streak. He hit the front a long way out and tired late for fifth.
Green was philosophical after the race.
“It didn’t totally surprise me that he got tired,” he said. “It was only his second run in 10 months and he spent four of those months in a box.
“I half expected it. He’s not race fit and I knew he was vulnerable, but we needed some runs before the Victoria Cup.
“He did a lot of work early in quick times and Nathan (Jack, driver) didn’t knock him around when he was beaten.
“We had him scoped and everything after the race and he’s fine. He’s pulled-up good.”
So, what next?
“It’s clear he needs racing so I think I’ll back him again next week. He does need the racing,” Green said.
Rock N Roll Doo’s trainer-driver Mick Stanley has long felt the gelding could be the best horse he’s trained and he looked awesome winning easily in a stunning 1min50.6sec mile rate for 1720m last night.
Green was lamenting what might have been with three-year-old Simply Sam when he was beaten out of sight by buzz local Captain Ravishing a Ballarat last Friday night.
“I’m not saying we would’ve beaten the winner, but we should’ve run a clear second and got much, much closer to him,” Green said.
“It was basically a non-event for us. We were stuck in traffic, blocked in with nowhere to go, while the winner dictated terms and skipped away with a huge lead. Nathan (Jack) never even pulled the plugs.”
It was the race where Captain Ravishing, having his first run for Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin, scorched an almost unheard of 25sec flat closing quarter to win by almost 40m.
Clearly Captain Ravishing will be a major Victoria Derby player.
“I’ll need to run him again next week, too,” Green said. “It was a month or two between runs for him and he needed it as well.”
Green’s one moment of joy for the weekend came when other Derby hopeful Argyle made the most of a gun run and the sprint lane to win at Melton last night.
“He was a bit harder and fitter than the other two,” Green said. “I still think I’ll back him again next week, too. I’ll run them all next week,” he said.