KIWI star Copy That stormed into clear Hunter Cup favouritism with a dominant Group 1 Ballarat Cup win last night.
And his trainer Ray Green agrees with the betting market, adding Copy That is “the best he’s ever been” heading towards Saturday week’s $500,000 Hunter Cup at Melton.
The Ballarat Cup was a defining race in many ways, but another Hunter Cup twist emerged when Andy Gath surprised by saying he could target the feature with his emerging young star Catch A Wave.
Catch A Wave made it 14 wins from just 18 starts when he beat some quality rivals in stunning fashion in a heat of the quirky Mercury80 series – over the short 1200m trip – at Melton last Friday night.
“I’m leaning towards going to the Hunter Cup,” Gath said. “There’s three options with him at Melton on February 4 – the Mercury80 final, the 4YO Bonanza or the Hunter Cup. I’ve got some thinking to do.
“Right now, the Hunter Cup is the most likely. I don’t think there is any real standout in the open-class horses and I’m sure Catch A Wave is good enough to be very competitive with them if he gets the right sort of (barrier) draw.”
Copy That firmed from $6 into $3.50 prepost Hunter Cup favourite after working to the front early, dictating terms in front, and easily holding a crack field at bay to win with something in reserve by 2.8m over the much-improved Honolua Bay.
“It was emphatic. Blair (Orange, driver) said he felt great and did it easily,” trainer Ray Green said.
“It showed he’s the one to beat in the Hunter Cup.
“I think it’s the best he’s ever been. He’s had a great grounding at home and is right in the zone, as they say.
“He’s always had the speed, but he’s matured over the past couple of years and got stronger.”
Green was taken by the performance of runner-up Honolua Bay.
“I thought his run was terrific. He made a lot of ground and hit the line. He’s the one who caught my eye from a Hunter Cup point of view.
“He’s obviously an improver and it’s going to make the barrier draw (for the Hunter Cup) interesting.”
While Copy That and Honolau Bay excelled, the Ballarat Cup was as much about the disappointment of two of the biggest guns, Rock N Roll Doo and Major Meister.
Victoria Cup winner Rock N Roll Doo had a good run but didn’t fire when stand-in driver Anthony Butt asked. He ran second last.
Major Meister, winner of the Cranbourne and Bendigo Cups at his previous two runs, was caught outside the leader, over raced badly and tired from the 500m to finish last.
The other Kiwi raider, Old Town Road, pleased connections with a solid fifth at his first run for more than two months.
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
