STUNNING New Zealand Cup winner Copy That’s odds of tackling the Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup are shortening by the day thanks to the polarising WA Premier Mark McGowan.

Copy That’s Victorian-based owner Merv Butterworth makes no secret of the fact his preferred plan is to tackle the big Fremantle and WA Pacing Cup double at Gloucester Park early next year.

But he’s well-aware of the “McGowan factor".

“If you’re a cricketer or an AFL footballer you seem to be OK, but it seems everybody else simply isn’t allowed into WA,” Butterworth said.

“I’m from WA and I’d love to take him over there, but it’s looking very unlikely under Mark McGowan’s rules.

“Plan B is the Hunter Cup, so that’s looking a lot more likely now than it was a few days ago.”

Copy That, one of the stars of the Queensland Constellations Winter Carnival, atoned from being “robbed” in last year’s NZ Cup by working to the front and winning as he liked last Tuesday.

Butterworth happily skipped the Group 1 NZ Free-For-All won brilliantly by NZ Cup third placegetter South Coast Arden at Addington last Friday.

“No, he was never going to back-up three days later, I don’t believe in asking top horses to do it,” he said.

“He’s come through the Cup really, really (well) according to Ken Barron, who’s been looking after him down south because Ray (Green) has been stuck up north.

“He flies home Wednesday and then Ray and I will work out where he races next and keep watching the WA situation before we make a final call on whether he goes there or to the Hunter Cup. Either way, he’ll almost certainly go to the Miracle Mile after Perth or Melbourne.”


AT a time when Trans-Tasman industry relations are at the crossroads, Bettor Twist and Ladies In Red are timely reminders of why it needs repairing … and urgently.

In my 30-plus years covering this great sport, NOTHING has given it more buzz than the great Trans-Tasman rivalry.

Whether it be the great Inter Dominions, the Kiwis plundering the Hunter Cup or Victoria Derby, the hype of Aussie raiders in the NZ Cup or, in more recent times, the excitement of some of NZ’s best meeting our stars in the Breeders Crown.

While Australia, or Victoria more-so, is blessed with a stellar crop of three-year-old fillies, headed by Ladies In Red, Tough Tilly, Beach Music and Joanna, when we heard NZ’s megastar filly Bettor Twist was joining the party it went to a whole new level,

And we saw why in the semi-finals at Melton on Saturday night.

Primed after two brave defeats and finally drawn well, Bettor Twist flexed her muscle, courtesy of a sublimely aggressive Anthony Butt front-running drive.

But it doesn’t necessarily make her the one to beat in Saturday night’s final.

Just who starts favourite won’t be known until after tonight’s barrier draws live on TrotsVision at 7pm (AEDT).

Ladies In Red, seemingly unbeatable just a few weeks ago, heads into the final winless in her heat and semi-final of the Breeders Crown, but every measure of her run when second to Bettor Twist in the semi was stunning.

Simply, swap the runs and you swap the result.

But it’s now clear Beach Music and Joanna are good enough to upstage the glamour pair with the right run and Tough Tilly, who is also building nicely, has already beaten Ladies In Red at Group 1 level.

This will be a race for the ages.


THE Kiwi rivalry extends to the three-year-old colts and geldings division where American Dealer looks the only danger to a complete Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin dominance.

After a lacklustre start to his Victorian campaign, American Dealer has peaked again at the right time, following an encouraging heat run with a slashing second to Major Moth (pictured) in their semi-final.

“That’s more like the horse who raced so well in Queensland. It was great he drew to have a soft run in his heat and I was really pleased with the run, but this was a step-up again,” driver Anthony Butt said after the semi.

“It’s another strong final, but he’s shown now he’s right in it with a good draw.”

Act Now and Major Moth look the big two, but Beyond Delight has to be right in the mix as well after his clock-smashing second to Act Now in their semi.

The injury-plagued Beyond Delight, who has always been rated as good as many in the crop by Stewart and Tonkin, ran his own last 400m in a staggering 25.8 seconds out four and five-wide around the final bend and somehow got within two metres of Act Now.


DON’T laugh when I say Mach Da Vinci is Australia’s most-improved pacer and a genuine smoky for the NSW Inter Dominion.

It’s easy to dismiss Queensland form, but do so at your own peril, especially the way this former Kiwi four-year-old has blasted his way to five successive Albion Park wins in all different ways.

His speed, strength and versatility going into an Inter Dominion lacking depth will carry him a long way.

He’s no $51 shot as the latest markets have him.

Mach Da Vinci returns to trainer Peter Hanson’s Bankstown stables this week after a few career-shaping months in Queensland.

Team McCarthy’s Inter Dominion big guns King Of Swing, Expensive Ego, Spirit Of St Louis and Alta Orlando all trial at Menangle on Wednesday to sharpen up for the opening round of heats at the same track on Saturday week.


The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.