
The Big Lebowski (Peter Ferguson), widest, closes fast on Sooner The Bettor in the Summer Cup.
Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
The Big Lebowski’s bold finish last week has trainer Ray Green hopeful he can bring home the spoils in the Lincoln Farms-sponsored $60,000 Franklin Cup on Friday night.
Green knows Australian Better Eclipse ($2.50) is the one to beat but, from a 30 metre back mark, and with his poor standing start manners, he says it could be game on.
“Better Eclipse is a fast horse and whether our big fella can beat him, we’ll find out, but he’s been beginning safely and we have a 20 metre start on the Aussie.”
Green was pleasantly surprised at how close The Big Lebowski ($3.50) got to the front-running favourite Sooner The Bettor in last Friday night’s Summer Cup, in his first run since returning from Christchurch.
The Big Lebowski closed late to be only a neck away at the line, clocking the fastest last mile of 1:54.9, with the equal fastest closing sectionals of 57.4 and 28.2.
And the big horse, whose forte is his stamina, would be suited by the longer 2700 metres this week, he said.
“He should be a lot sharper this time and I’d say he’s not far from full fitness.”
The Big Lebowski and Blair Orange are too good in the Junior Free-for-all at Addington on cup day. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.Five of the last seven Franklin Cups have been won by horses from a handicap and this year The Big Lebowski, shares the 10 metre mark with Jolimont, and is 10 metres in front of Kango and 20 metres ahead of Better Eclipse.
The Big Lebowski stepped cleanly from the tapes last week and in his previous stand was up with the early leaders in the Holmes DG.
Better Eclipse, on the other hand, has galloped away in three of his four standing starts in New Zealand, the only ones of his 77-start career.
He galloped from a 20 metre mark when sixth in the Roy Purdon Memorial at Auckland in May and did the same a week later in the Auckland Cup, albeit still winning over the 3200 metres, sweeping home very late to beat Self Assured.
A bad gallop at the start of the Kaikoura Cup (2400m) last month also proved costly when he settled second last and managed only third, 4.4 lengths behind Mo’unga.
His best effort, when fifth in the New Zealand Trotting Cup, was aided by a run-up start, when he was already pacing when the start was called.
Whether being alone on the 30 metre mark will help him get underway remains to be seen but it’s a sure bet a front line horse like tough stayer Village Rebel, won’t be making it easy for him.
Better Eclipse, however, is in excellent form, having run second to Merlin in the New Zealand Free-for-all and winning the Green Mile at Methven in his last two mobile starts.
The Big Lebowski, who gets the country’s top driver Blair Orange this week, is being aimed at the $250,000 Auckland Cup on New Year’s Eve.
Three of Leo Lincoln’s four wins have come left-handed at Cambridge. PHOTO:Blair on Leo
Orange also takes the reins on Leo Lincoln ($10, $2.90) in the second race and, despite his second row draw, Green is expecting another good run from the three-year-old.
“When I saw him in the one-one a lap from home last week I thought he’d bolt in, and down the back he was still jogging,” Green said.
Driver Peter Ferguson had the same “you beauty” thought when he pulled three wide turning for home but, after only two strides, Leo started pacing roughly and did well to recover for third.
“I don’t know what happened there,” Green said. “I do think he could be a better horse left-handed but he’s still all right this way round and he should go well again. He trained well this week.”
Green, who trained the trifecta in last week’s two-year-old race, lines up three this week, Friday’s maiden winner Debbie Lincoln ($31, $6) joining Tyson ($12, $3.10) and Kevin Kline ($21, $4.50).
“The experience will do Debbie Lincoln good but this is obviously a tougher bunch and I’d be shocked at this stage if she ran into the money.
“But both Tyson and Kevin Kline should go good races. We’ve put an overcheck on Tyson this time after Nathan (Delany) said he was dropping his head on the home turn. Blair will drive him.”
Green said with a good driver (Tony Herlihy) and good draw (two), Kevin Kline would go better than his odds suggest too.
Despite copping the backwash of Sugar Ray Lincoln’s early break last week, Kevin Kline was clocked to run home in 56.9, second equal fastest in the race with Tyson, Herlihy reporting he felt good in doing it.
“He’s a nice horse who’s had only six starts and the first two of those were non-events. I think he’ll go well.”
The fast Purdon/Phelan filly Youretheonethatiwant, clearly top rated at R61, is the $3.60 favourite, back from a fruitless Christchurch campaign and drawn the outside of the arm.
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Tyson in the right form to deliver a knockout punch at Cambridge on Friday night
Our runners this week
Saturday night at Albion Park
Argyle.
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln La Moose
5.43pm
“Drawn well, he should get a good trip and be the one to beat. He got held up at Cambridge last time and these amateur races are easier to win.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.43pm
“The form line doesn’t show it but he actually went ok last time, they just sprinted and left him flat-footed. He’ll go his usual honest race.”
Race 2: Angelic Copy
6.16pm
“She and Linda train and trial together and are much more forward than the others. She’s a proper little tradesman who can do whatever you want and she tries hard.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
6.16pm
“He’s not as forward as the fillies. He’s still learning and can do nothing but improve.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lover
6.16pm
“He’s another who will benefit from the experience but he’s by Bettor’s Delight and they tend to lift their game when the money’s up.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.16pm
“She has a bit of speed but is not as tractable as Linda - she doesn’t handle the corners quite as well and might be a little better left-handed. But she’s as good as any of them at the moment and, in the small field, should get her chance.”
Race 2: Lincoln Linda
6.16pm
“Though drawn the outside, she should really be the one to beat, based on her trial. She’s quite a strong filly, who is well gaited and should go forward. Maurice (McKendry) has driven her two or three times and he likes her.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.08pm
“He should be dangerous against what is not a wonderful bunch. He trialled well, a nose behind Lewey Maguire (home in 56.4). All three of mine are nice horses and should be right there.”
Race 4: Tyson
7.08pm
“He was laying in on the corners last time at Cambridge and it was just a sprint home. He needs to be driven a bit more aggressively - he’s gone his best races when he’s been put in the race. Remember he sat parked when third to Arna’s good one (Chase Me) in December. He can tough it.”
Race 4: Colonel Lincoln
7.08pm
“He’s training down well, as good as you could expect. He’s done nothing wrong in three starts back. The outside draw is an inconvenience but, when he slots in, he won’t be far off them.”
Race 7: Kevin Kline
8.38pm
“He got held up last time and the winner got away on him. He should get a nice trip from one. He’ll go another honest race and will be in it for a while.”
Race 7: Debbie Lincoln
8.38pm
“She could be quite a nice filly. The way she’s developing I think she’ll be competitive against the better fillies later in the year. She’s quite versatile and can race tough. She has a lot of potential.”
Race 7: Frisco Bay
8.38pm
“He’d be on a par with Debbie for speed but he can get a bit carried away. Hopefully he can get a nice suck into it. I can’t fault the way they’re training and whichever of the two gets the best trip should win.”