Mixed bag for Green at Alexandra Park

By Josh Smith - Harness News Desk

Pukekohe trainer Ray Green was dealt a mixed hand at Alexandra Park on Wednesday night.

While promising colt American Dealer won the Dawson Harford Mobile Pace (2200m), two of his runners went amiss.

American Dealer’s stablemate and race rival Man Of Action looked to have the race sewn up when he kicked clear by a length at the top of the straight, however, he lost all chance when breaking with 200m to go.

Later on the card Group One performer Copy That over-raced during the McMurty Farms Handicap Pace (2700m) and was eventually pulled up by driver Maurice McKendry.

Trainer Barry Purdon took out the quinella in the race with back marker On The Cards and promising pacer Major Jellis.

Green was philosophical about the night and said both Copy That and Man Of Action took no ill-effects from their runs.

“Man Of Action should have won, he was well clear, but he just lost concentration halfway up the straight and had a gallop,” he said.

“Copy That started hitting the wheels and foot rests with his back feet when he (Maurice McKendry, driver) tried to get him back in behind.

“He flipped out and he was off. He did the big bolt and Maurice did the right thing and pulled him up.

“There is nothing wrong with the horse, he is 100 percent and pulled up beautifully.”

Green was pleased with American Dealer’s winning efforts, with the son of American Ideal now boasting a record of two wins from just three starts.

His only unplaced run came in the Gr.1 Cardigan Bay Stakes (1700m) in March where he finished fourth behind Krug.

“It was very good considering it was his first run for quite a while,” Green said. “I was pretty happy with him, he is a little tradesman.

“I thought he was probably our best chance of winning the race.

“It is our first run in a while and the trials were good, but a trial is a trial, and a race is a race.

“You really don’t know where you are at until you put them out there. He went quite well.”