By MIKE DILLON
Ray Coupland gets it all the time - fancy owning 35 racehorses when you own one of the country's biggest pie businesses.
If you think about it logically, it's a great incentive for a horse not to be too slow on the racetrack.
"Yeh, I get the ribbing all the time," said Coupland, managing director of the Christrchurch-based Coupland Bakeries.
Coupland has in-form Coup Ray in today's $500,000 Mercedes Super Bonus Classique at Te Rapa.
The brilliant Trentham winner has drawn the outside barrier, leaving rider Noel Harris no option but to drop back and ride the smart youngster for luck.
Coupland is passionate about improving the texture of South Island racing and winning the country's richest race is very important to him.
The barrier draw has hampered the realisation of those dreams, but Coupland cops it as one of those things.
"Flying Babe is the horse to beat. If she'd drawn No 17 and we'd drawn in where she is, it might have been a different story.
"But having already won the prelude to this race at Trentham we won't be too disappointed if he can't manage the job from the draw. We know we have the horse to do the job eventually."
Coupland got into racing in the 1970s when an old mate Wattie Hogan regularly came into his milkbar tearooms and talked the horse talk.
"I started out moderately and then I bred Polacca, who won 12 races including one at group three, and I was sold.
"I really want to take South Island racing up a level. I hear people moaning about it, but it's where it is because most of the old class families have been bred out and owners here are relying on North Island hand-me-downs.
"To succeed we have to go to the Karaka sales and buy the right horses, like Coup Ray.
"We've got another one, Coup Will, by Gold Brose, who is very smart. He finished second at Dunedin at his only start and pulled up very shinsore.
"He'll be good enough to compete agianst the best in the North Island."
Coupland picked retired jumps jockey Snooky Cowan as his private trainer because of his neatness and dedication.
"I thought Snooky's property was a credit to him and he pays attention to detail. I employ 220 people in my business and I'd rate Snooky right up there with the best of them."
The horse to beat is Takanini filly Flying Babe, with Lance O'Sullivan in the saddle. She was super impressive winning at Avondale under 57.5kg.
Racing: Owner after more pie for South Is
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