By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Trainer Ray Green Is expecting much of the same from his gun pacer Copy That when he contests the Franklin Long Roofing 2020 Spring Cup (2200m) at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
The American Ideal entire has strung together four wins from as many starts this preparation and Green can’t see that picket fence form line ending this week, despite his wide draw.
“You can’t fault what he has done,” Green said. “He has done some spectacular stuff and long may it continue, I don’t see why it won’t.
“He has drawn the outside (9) but as long as he steps well, which he has been doing, and doesn’t get inconvenienced by anybody, he should race as good as he has been racing which makes him hard to beat.”
Copy That is currently the $2.50 favourite in the TAB’s futures market for the Gr.1 New Zealand Trotting Cup (3200m) in November and Green has yet to decide when he will launch his southern assault.
“We will just see how he goes on Friday,” he said. “He may stay for the Holmes DG a week later or we may just head south. It depends how he pulls up after Friday night.”
One stablemate that could join him on that trip south is last start Gr.1 Sires’ Stakes Final (1700m) winner American Dealer.
The son of American Ideal finally got the better of favourite Krug after three prior meetings, including finishing runner-up to the Nathan Purdon and Chrissie Dalgety-trained three-year-old a fortnight prior.
“It was a great win,” Green said. “He’s come through it well. He has got a good system and recovers pretty quickly.
“He’s a hard horse to beat is Krug, he did it tough but we bested him last week, I don’t know about this week though.”
Krug has drawn the ace barrier in the Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Colt and Gelding Final (2200m) on Friday, while American Dealer has drawn fourth on the second line.
“I think we might be pushing it a bit with the draw,” Green said. “But that’s horse racing, you have got to take the rough with the smooth.
“He will go a good race, he always does, but he is up against it with the draw.”
American Dealer will be joined in the race by stablemate Captain Nemo, who finished eighth in the Sires’ Stakes Final.
“Captain Nemo is a work in progress,” Green said. “He is a very nice horse, but I don’t think we will see the best of him until we get up around the Derby distances around the New Year.
“That is when he will come to the fore.”
