Ray reaches for the half hopples to keep Whats Up The Hill trotting at Cambridge on Thursday

Co-trainer Ray Green is hoping half hopples will turn Whats Up The Hill from a galloper to a winner at Cambridge on Thursday night.

The well bred three-year-old attracted plenty of support, starting second favourite last week in his first start for four and a half months, but he blew his chance when leading 350 metres from home.

“That’s actually the first time he’s galloped,” Green said. “In the past he’s switched into a pace.”

The What The Hill gelding has obviously inherited that habit from his dam Escapee but Green says, while capable, he’s no superstar like the filly who dominated in 2012, winning the NZ Trotting Oaks, NZ Trotting Derby and Northern Trotting Derby.

“He can do it, though mentally he’s not quite there yet. He gets himself into a state.

“But he’s not racing a stellar bunch. He’s just got to get round.

“We’re trying half hopples on him this time. He’s been pretty good in training with them but training is training and racing is racing so we’ll see what happens.”

Driver Peter Ferguson reported Whats Up The Hill raced keenly throughout his resumption which hindered his performance. But he was hardly gifted the ideal run, starting from the back mark of 20 metres, having to go wide round the first turn to avoid a breaker, then getting no cover when mooching up to park, before eventually taking the lead 600 metres from home.

With another safe beginning from three on the front line on Thursday, he should get things a lot easier.

“It will be fascinating to see what he does but we’ll keep poking him out there ’til he does it right.”

Green is confident of another good run from the stable’s only other runner, Lincoln La Moose, who starts from two in the fourth race.

The four-year-old could not have been more impressive in his fresh-up win at Cambridge, turning on a withering burst to make up a four to five length leeway on Always B Charlie in the run home.

“They went hard, hence the time of 2:40 flat, and that in itself helped him - he didn’t have to spend a penny until the last bit.

“The biggest problem we’ve had in the past with him was over-racing but we seem to have got on top of that.”

Green suspects Fergie might be able to drop straight into the trail behind Always B Charlie on Thursday night.

“His driver, Sailesh Abernethy, likes the front end and he’s ruthless about not handing up.

“Hopefully our horse goes as well again.”