Line Up, outer, shows high speed for Zachary Butcher to reel in leader Cloud Break at Pukekohe today.
When Ray and Zachary get it all to Line Up, watch out for the ‘whoosh’
By Barry Lichter • 5 January 2019
It might not have looked pretty today but when trainer Ray Green gets well bred colt Line Up geared up right, and the penny drops, he’ll have a brand of speed few of his peers can match.
Line Up didn’t win his heat at the Pukekohe trials today, and didn’t even get round without making a couple of mistakes, but his speed still carried him within a head of winner Cloud Break in the fastest mile run by the babies at Pukekohe this season.
Driven by Zachary Butcher, the brother to 17-race winner Partyon gave away five lengths on the first turn when he started pacing very roughly and did everything but gallop full on.
Line Up settled at the tail of the four-horse field until Butcher lit the fuse with 500 metres to run and he swept up from last to take the lead from Cloud Break - only to start pacing roughly again and lose another two lengths.
But when Butcher got the colt balanced again he showed rare acceleration to all but pick up the leader in the closing 150 metres.
Butcher clocked Line Up to sprint his last 400 metres in 27.5, a fine effort considering the mile was run in 2:02.1.
Zachary Butcher … “He went whoosh.”“He went whoosh,’’ says Butcher. “He’s got quick speed and feels like the type who will come to it.
“They went a lot quicker today and he’s just got to get used to that speed.’’
Green says yesterday’s run was a bit of an experiment after they let out Line Up’s hopples by two holes.
“They were a bit tight last time but he didn’t quite cope with it today so I’ll pull the hopples up one hole next time.’’
Green likes the colt who cost $130,000 as a yearling, and says if he keeps improving he could join his stablemates Perfect Stride, Double Or Nothing and Sir Tiger in the next Young Guns heat for colts and geldings at Auckland on February 8.
Green’s own colt Copy That is also on the list of potential Young Guns reinforcements after his recent trial wins although the youngster continued his frustrating run of breaks on the same turn today, losing his early lead, before settling third and running on fairly to run fourth, two and a half lengths from the winner.
Tommy Lincoln, third, held a length margin over Copy That at the finish after driver Craig Sharpe reported he was left flat-footed on the home turn.
More news in Harness
Leo takes the lion’s share to cap terrific Manawatu season - and Ray gets a piece too
Nate looking for more Fergy magic to cap successful two months at Manawatu
Cloud over Angelic Copy again - bug threatens to force her out on Friday night at Auckland
Phone home - ET trotter Whats Up The Hill blasts off with narrow Escape at Auckland
Our runners this week
Friday night at Auckland
What’s Up The Hill.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm
“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm
“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm
“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
6.04pm
“I thought I had Kevin Kline covered on Tuesday when we got to the straight because she was really travelling but he kicked away on us. It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed - and, if she does, she can get some of it again.”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.04pm
“He was too good for them on Tuesday, thanks to a great Fergy drive, and he’s in the same field again this time. The extra distance and wide draw shouldn’t make much of a difference and he’s our best of the night.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.02pm
“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. The 10 metre handicap shouldn’t stop him. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres isn’t a worry.”
