Rejuvenated The Bull Pen can lead the charge over Merv’s stablemates at Auckland on Friday

Expect a much better run from The Bull Pen when he lines up in the sixth race at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

It’s hard to fault The Bull Pen’s 21132 form line but trainer Ray Green admits he was a little disappointed the horse didn’t win his last start at Auckland two weeks ago.

Gifted some cruisy sectionals in front, The Bull Pen only had to sprint up the straight to win but was overhauled very late by Baquero in a sedate 2:46.4 for the 2200 metres.

The run contrasted dramatically with his first two runs in the north when he won in 2:41.7 first-up then ran 2:40.5 when a brave third to Revolver and Big On Personality after being parked much of the way.

But Green revealed The Bull Pen was struggling to get round the corners last time, something obviously worrying him.

“I thought he should have run on better but he was losing ground on every corner. We’ve had some vet work done on him since and he’s trained well this week.’’

Green says The Bull Pen has a lot of ability and he expects him to be too good for his stablemates, Kiwi Bloke and Just Wing It, who are also owned by strong stable supporter Australian Merv Butterworth.

Kiwi Bloke freewheeling in front in his Pukekohe workout win last Saturday.It will be Kiwi Bloke’s first race for Butterworth who bought the horse after his last two wins at Rangiora and Forbury Park in April.

Kiwi Bloke showed some of his ability when he won at the Pukekohe workouts last Saturday, using his early speed to lead all the way and hold off the much higher rated Ivana Flybye.

“He’s a lovely animal who seems honest enough and from the inside draw he’ll put himself in the race from the get-go.

“But he just lacks a yard of speed on The Bull Pen.’’

Kiwi Bloke will be driven by junior driver John Morrison who, as the horse’s previous trainer at West Melton, knows him well.

Just Wing It comes into the race a last-start winner of a rating 40 to 54 event so is likely to struggle against rating 56 to 73 opposition.

“He’s improved a lot but he needs to get a trip,’’ says Green.

Last start Just Wing It drew two and enjoyed the trail throughout, a run he’s not going to get from barrier five on Friday night.

Copy That has shown a lot of ability at the Pukekohe workouts but needs to behave himself.Lincoln Farms also lines up three starters in the fourth race with the enigmatic Copy That clearly its best chance.

“If he gets things right, they won’t beat him,’’ says Green.

“But we all know he’s a big risk. Matty (White) said he gave no warning before he broke last week, one minute he was travelling well and the next he wasn’t.’’

The mistake, on the bend into the back straight, saw Copy That, improving forward at the time, end up back and three wide, and forced to do a power of work to find the death seat 1200 metres out.

It wasn’t surprising he was running on empty at the finish but he was still holding third until the final 50 metres.

On Friday Copy That moves from the outside of the front line to five on the gate, which will allow White the option of making a play for the lead, from where he would be very hard to run down.

Copy That showed how potent he could be the previous week at the Pukekohe workouts when he charged to the front and never put a foot wrong, closing in 57.3 and 26.7 to win untested by three and a half lengths.

Double Or Nothing scores in his Pukekohe workout last Saturday.Stablemate Double Or Nothing gets the horror outside draw on Friday from where Green says he wouldn’t want to see driver David Butcher charge for the lead.

“It might be better for him to go back this week,’’ says Green.

In his last start two weeks ago, Double Or Nothing was used up to lead from five, before trailing, and just couldn’t sprint up the passing lane. But his fourth behind Gambit, Zeuss Bromac and Vespa, wasn’t a bad effort in just his second run back.

The big Sweet Lou gelding showed he had improved since then when scoring narrowly at the Pukekohe workouts last Saturday, albeit green and switching off near the finish.

“He only seems to do what he has to but he’ll go another good race.’’

Billy Lincoln has fared little better in the draw in seven, from where he’s going to find it hard to get into contention.

Little inferior on ability to last week’s surprise winner Tommy Lincoln, Billy had no chance on debut drawn the inside of the second row, from where he was pushed back to four deep on the pegs.

He made a little ground late without threatening.