Classy colt Line Up shows he’s feeling better as Ray ponders his next move

Star two-year-old Line Up showed he was on the way back from illness when he sprinted a sharp last quarter at today’s Pukekohe workouts.

Even though he did not feature among the placegetters, driver Zachary Butcher reported he felt over the virus which forced him out of the Young Guns Final at Auckland.

Having his first fast test since falling ill a week before the big two-year-old feature, Butcher let the colt dawdle along at the tail of the six-horse field in a two-year-old workout over 2050 metres.

He stayed there throughout and wasn’t even tempted to pull out in the run home, letting Line Up hit the line under his own steam hard on the back of Miss Shuga.

Sir Tiger sits in the trail with Line Up last in today’s workout.“I clocked him over his last quarter in 27.2 and there was no point in coming out and running 26 something first-up,’’ said Butcher.

“He’s a cool horse,’’ said Butcher of Line Up who was keen to run past his rivals after the finishing post.

Green was originally inclined to bypass Auckland this week and give the colt a bowl round Cambridge before the first Sires Stakes heat there on April 18.

But with Thursday’s meeting at the Cambridge the only one before that heat, he will now wait until he sees the Auckland nominations on Monday before deciding what to do.

Green will enter Sir Tiger for Auckland after his solid second in the same heat today.

Sir Tiger trailed pacemaker Christianshavtime and looked like he would run past him in the run home until he locked on one rein.

Driver Andrew Drake said the horse tried to run out all the way up the home straight “but he only does what he needs to do.’’

Christianshavtime scored by three-quarters of a length and clocked 2:43.2 for the 2050 metres, a mile rate of 2:08.1, with the final 800 in 58.3 and 400 in 27.6.

Governor’s Bay stretches out in his first workout at Pukekohe today.Bay has a good blow

Governor’s Bay, Green’s newest recruit from Australian owner Merv Butterworth, ran an encouraging second in his 2500 metre heat.

The hulking five-year-old led out, before taking a trail behind Deer Hunter and, when presented with a marker gap in the straight, sprinted through quickly to run a head second to Tony Herlihy’s capable four-year-old Revolver.

With closing sectionals of 57.1 and 27.1, the pair cut out the trip in a mile rate of 2:04.1.

Governor’s Bay blew heavily afterwards, signalling it will improve him for his first run in the north on Friday.

Hilary Barry travelling strongly for driver Zachary Butcher as Tony Herlihy takes off on winner Delightful Catherine..Hilary close third

Hilary Barry ran a useful trial for Friday’s meeting when a close third in the mile heat for two-year-old fillies.

Butcher dropped Hilary Barry to the rear of the four-horse field and she was still there, but travelling strongly, turning for home.

“I thought she was going to pick them up for a while but she just flattened out a bit late. She just lacks a bit of speed.

“I’d like to see her in front one day.’’

Hilary Barry was just two heads from the Tony Herlihy-trained and driven winner Delightful Catherine and Ab Fab with the trip cut-out in a swift 2:01.8, and fast closing sectionals of 56.8 and 27.5.

Joey Lincoln leading his heat just before galloping at Pukekohe today.Shorter hopples for Joey

Green will do some tinkering with Joey Lincoln’s hopples after he galloped when leading 200 metres out in the learners’ heat over 2050 metres.

The Sweet Lou two-year-old was having his third workout today and seemingly pacing sweetly for Butcher when for no reason he broke.

Green suspects the horse has simply got used to galloping when surrounded by other horses.

“He’s just got a few emotional problems I think. He’s nicely gaited so he shouldn’t be doing that but I’ll tighten up his hopples a bit to give him some more support. They looked a little loose to me today.’’

The gallop saw Joey Lincoln finish fourth of four behind Trumps Ideal with the heat cut out in a mile rate of 2:15.8, with slow final sectionals of 64.8 and 30.9.