Ray Green launches Victorian attack with crack at Ballarat Classic

New Zealand trainer Ray Green launches his latest Australian foray in Ballarat on Friday night when promising youngster Simply Sam steps out in the Colin & Heather Holloway 3YO Classic.

This will provide a prelude to the appearance of Green’s stable star Copy That in the Group 1 $100,000 VHRC Caduceus Classic at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night, when he will also send around three-year-old Argyle in the Logical Staffing Solutions Pace.

Nathan Jack is taking the reins on all three, who Green has based at Yabby Dam Farms in Ballarat.

Simply Sam and Argyle are targeting the $200,000 Downbytheseaside Victoria Derby on October 8, with Simply Sam the trainer’s number one hope for the blue ribbon classic.

Green was always going to make the trip with leading Victoria Cup fancy Copy That, while Argyle was a last minute call up.

“He’s won four of his past five, so we thought why not,” he said.

Green was pleased with the way the trio, particularly the youngsters who are on their first trips to Australia, have settled in since arriving at the end of August.

He has brought horses across the Tasman for two decades and said one thing he had learnt over the years was the importance of giving them time to settle into the different environment.

“I use to try and lob and race pretty well straight away,” he said. “They can get stressed by the travel, so I’ve learnt that’s its smarter to give them time.”

He said Argyle had been a beneficiary of this approach.

“He sulked for a few days, but he’s okay now.”

Simply Sam goes to Ballarat fresh, having not raced since stringing together three wins at Alexandra Park in June-July.

Green was more than happy with him though, with “serious speed” one of the colt’s biggest assets.

He said the son of American Ideal had a strong trial, running home in better than 26 seconds without being called on.

Green said whatever Simply Sam did in Ballarat he would be improved by the run.

He is planning to follow up the run with a start in the Reg Withers 3YO Classic at Kilmore on September 23 before going to the Victoria Derby.

The Holloway Classic has attracted a field of six, with Simply Sam vying for favouritism with Captain Ravishing, who is having his first start for Ballarat trainer Emma Stewart.

Captain Ravishing won his first two starts as a two and three-year-old. This will be just his sixth visit to the races and first since the NSW Derby in March.

For Green, he would like nothing better than to win a Victoria Derby. He went close in 2010, when Lincoln Royal finished second to Courage To Rule, which was five years after Badlands Bute was fifth to Emmas Only.

Ballarat and District Trotting Club has a 10-race program on Friday night, with the first at 6.02pm.

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* Picture courtesy hrnz.org.au