The Big Lebowski mauls rivals and earns a shot at the Flying Stakes at Ashburton

Trainer Ray Green will give The Big Lebowski a longshot throw at the stumps in the hope he can qualify for next month’s $1 million New Zealand Trotting Cup.

The giant pacer earned a shot at the $60,000 Ashburton Flying Stakes (2400m) on October 28 after his Friday night demolition at Addington when he comprehensively dealt to lower rated rivals.

“He overpowered them from the get-go and absolutely spanked them, which he should have done because they were three grades lower than the horses he’s been racing,” Green said.

“But we know he’s competitive with the best so he deserves his chance.”

The Big Lebowski was untroubled to lead all the way from the outside of the gate on Friday night, easily holding off the trailing Wish Me Luck in a 2:00.4 mile rate for the 2600 metres.

And his closing splits of 55.94 and 26.81 were among the fastest of the night, his last 400 better than Republican Party and the cup horses behind him clocked in the main pace.

It was the fourth time driver John Morrison had felt the power of the big horse, having piloted him to two wins when he was trained in Southland by Robin Swain.

“Johnny was pretty happy and I might just drop him into the Flying Stakes now. I know it’s a standing start, which is his Achilles heel, but he hasn’t been too bad up north.”

Ray Green and stable worker Nathan Delany with The Big Lebowski after his win. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.Green knows that the only hope he has of advancing The Big Lebowski high enough up the cup rankings to make the 15-horse cut is to perform well in a Group race, and the Ashburton event is Group II.

The Big Lebowski sat 35th in the entry order before Friday night and, while he will be uplifted for the win, as a non black type race, it doesn’t carry enough weight.

The only other qualifying race before the cup is the Group II $60,000 Kaikoura Cup (2400m) on November 4 but Green has no intention of trying to get the giant pacer to go round that turning track.

“A few might drop out yet and if he miraculously made the cup field we’d be in like flynn. It’s a million dollar race and if you run last you get $15,000.

“But if not, we’ll tackle the Junior Free-for-all (mobile 2600m) on cup day and, hopefully, if we win that we’ll get a start in the big free-for-all on Show day.

The $200,000 NZ Pacing Free-for-all on November 15 is run over 1980 metres, crucially from behind the gate.

Green said getting The Big Lebowski back to the winner’s circle was very satisfying given it was only his third start after being away from racing for 15 months with injury.

After damaging a tendon in his hind leg - a very unusual injury - the horse spent several months confined to a box then was part of the furniture at Margaret Park in Matangi where he spent six months on a water treadmill.

“The leg is perfect now and won’t be a problem in the future.”

Green is hoping the horse can repay the faith placed in him by Melbourne owners Merv and Meg Butterworth who recently retired their dual New Zealand Trotting Cup champion Copy That.

While The Big Lebowski headlined a good opening night for Lincoln Farms’ southern campaign, stablemates Frisco Bay and Sugar Ray Lincoln also stood up.

Frisco Bay’s charge from the back for a close third to Renegade was a highlight of the early three-year-old race when he recorded the fastest closing sectionals of 56.05 and 26.84.

“Zac (Butcher) was really happy with him. If he’d been four fence instead of five he’d have won.”

And driver Ricky May thought Sugar Ray Lincoln could have run fourth, rather than sixth, in the Two-year-old Harness Million had he not lost his place on the turn.

Only Five Crowns (27.12) and Rubira (27.30) finished their last 400 metres faster than Sugar Ray Lincoln (27.47) who did not help himself by racing greenly and laying in throughout the run home.