‘Bye ‘bye Line Up, we’ll miss you, but Ray has another playboy to train in Vanquish Stride

Lincoln Farms trainer Ray Green will say goodbye to classy three-year-old Line Up on Tuesday but he’s got another high priced yearling in Vanquish Stride to keep the colours flying.

Line Up, winner of three races here for Sydney owner Emilio Rosati will continue his career from Anthony Butt’s stable at Menangle to prepare for the Victoria Derby, along with another former Lincoln Farms graduate Perfect Stride.

Line Up … off to Sydney and Anthony Butt on Tuesday. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.But while Green will miss the speedy colt who ran third in the Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington, he has just brought Alabar Classic winner Copy That back into work after a two and a half week break.

And Rosati’s $170,000 yearling Vanquish Stride showed he was on an uphill plane when finishing a close second at today’s Pukekohe trials, qualifying at his first attempt in good time.

Vanquish Stride went through the Addington sale ring as The Shard, and had all the good judges chasing him, with playboy looks and a million dollar pedigree being by Bettor’s Delight out of 11-race winner Pemberton Shard.

The colt hasn’t lost his looks, a black bull you can’t help but take a second look at and, while Green says he doesn’t do anything flashy on the track, he has tradesman-like ability and continues to improve.

“He hasn’t grown upwards as much as I was expecting, but he’s pretty professional and today’s run was very good for a first attempt.”

After only two earlier workouts, Vanquish Stride tackled four rivals in a mobile 1609 metre barrier trial, showing excellent speed out of the gate for driver Zachary Butcher before easing to trail Muriwai Magic.

Vanquish Stride hasn’t grown much but he still has his playboy good looks.Vanquish Stride was pretty lackadaisical until Butcher eased him out to challenge down the back straight.

“I think he was having me on a bit when I gave him a couple he picked up.”

Butcher also reported the colt was having trouble getting round the bends and queried his hopple length.

At the line Vanquish Stride was only half a head behind Muriwai Magic and Maurice McKendry, with another neck back to She’s No Lady and Steven Reid.

They clocked a solid mile of 2:04.7, with the final 800 metres in 59.5 and 400 in 28.8, good time in the very blustery conditions.

Earlier, three more of Green’s second wave of two-year-olds had a spin round the track in learners’ heats, Jeff Beck winning his heat, The Informant galloping 400 metres out in the same event, and the filly Spice It Up tiring to third in her heat.

Jeff Beck shows his style for Zachary Butcher today in his first workout.Jeff Beck, a nice type by Rock N Roll Heaven out of Lady Fingers, trailed third, eased out down the back, and ran on well to pip Todd Macfarlane’s Quest by a nose.

The 2050 metres was run at a leisurely pace, with a mile rate of 2:12.3, and closing sectionals of 61.1 and 30.2.

Jeff Beck, a half brother for former star age group performer The Orange Agent, was one of the most precocious of Green’s babies last year, standing out in the annual yearling parade in August.

“But he went through a growth spurt so I gave him a spell and he’s come back a different boy,” says Green.

“He always showed something and hopefully he’ll keep improving and we’ll have a half decent horse.”

Green says Jeff Beck is about a month away from racing and could make the last of the Young Guns heats at Auckland.

The Informant, in his first public appearance, enjoyed the trial behind the leader until the end of the back straight when he galloped for Andre Poutama, losing all chance.

The American Ideal colt’s brother My Carbon Copy is in hot form in Perth where he bolted home again last week.

Spicey shows speed to get round the field in her heat before tiring in the stretch.Captaintreacherous filly Spice It Up was also having her first workout and looked set for an easy win when she cruised round the field down the back straight for Butcher.

But the filly tired noticeably and ended up third to Brent Mangos’ Art Major filly Banter and Poutama’s Ideal Sports Girl, beaten four and a quarter lengths.

The 2050 metres was cut out in 2:45.9, a mile rate of 2:10.3, with closing sectionals of 58.9 and 27.8.

Spice It Up had a high heart rate of 107 afterwards, Green saying she was not as forward as some of the others.

“She won’t be ready for the first fillies’ Young Guns heat (on January 17) but we’ll look at the second one.”

Green says the jungle drums are beating that between them Barry Purdon and his brother Mark have well bred fillies who will be dominant Young Guns this year.

Spice It Up, a beautiful bodied filly from the family of champion Carabella, showed plenty of speed in her first prep but Green eased up on her when she started tying up.

Man Of Action strides out boldly in front for Zachary Butcher at Pukekohe today.Man Of Action looks a winner

In other heats today, Man Of Action again showed he would be hard to very beat at Cambridge on Friday when he led all the way to win his 2050 metres in 2:35.7, a mile rate of 2:02.2.

Man Of Action beat Tony Herlihy’s Eagle Eye by only a neck but he did well to recover after pacing roughly and all but breaking turning for home, still running 57.7 and 28.1.

Butcher reported the three-year-old was looking for a bit of support from his hopples which appeared to be too long and he immediately pulled them up a hole.

Classic Reactor, who dropped out after sitting parked in his first run in the north last month, finished a close third behind Anam Nunu and Triolet in the up-to-rating 58 heat.

The 2050 metres was run in 2:37.8, a mile rate of 2:03.8, with the closing sectionals in a pedestrian 61.4 and 31.9.