By Michael Guerin
An IRT Harness Jewels day of disappointment has turned into a Monday of frustration for trainer Ray Green as he ponders what to do next with his stable stars.
Green, his horse’s connections and punters were left stunned when hot favourite Copy That recorded one of the worst performances of his career, finishing ninth in the $100,000 Four-Year-Old Emerald won by South Coast Arden, a horse he was thrashing just six weeks ago.
Copy That secured what should have been the perfect cart into the race three wide with cover behind the brave Laver but only battled, with inferior horses running last him.
Not as bad but still not up to his usual standard was American Dealer in the three-year-old Emerald in which he finished fifth, with both drivers suggesting the stars didn’t feel themselves.
With both Copy That and American Dealer supposed to be heading to Queensland for the Winter Carnival there Green and his owners would love to know what went wrong but with today (Monday) being Queen’s Birthday in New Zealand and therefore a public holiday he can’t get blood tests taken and processed for the pair.
“The bloods should tell us more,” says Green.
“Clearly they didn’t go as well as they can and Copy That has never gone that bad,” says Green.
“When he got that three wide cart into the race I thought that was perfect but clearly he didn’t let down like he can.
“So we will get his bloods done and hopefully they will tell us a bit more. Obviously the owners are keen to know more before we firm up things for Queensland.”
While Copy That has always been best as a leader his lack of punch was far more than just the run he got, with driver Maurice McKendry suggesting to Green the four-year-old didn’t feel spot on.
“Maurice said he felt a tiny bit off behind the gate (mobile start) and when he got home last night his feet were a bit tender.
“We have occasionally has feet issues with him and sometimes he wears pads. But we took them on him recently but that can’t be the answer because he didn’t wear them when he won the Taylor Mile or the Messenger.
“But I’d say they will be going back on him.” What those Tuesday bloods tests reveal could even determine whether Copy That even goes to Queensland and contests the first ever The Rising Sun on July 10.
Others to have accepted invites to The Rising Sun include Amazing Dream and Krug, both of who were also beaten on Sunday so the Kiwi team is hardly heading to Queensland with their chests puffed out.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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