Franklin Cup sponsor John Street with Jim and Anne Gibbs, part-owners of Friday night’s winner Turn It Up. PHOTO: Race Images.
Turn It Up yet another headlining act in Street’s 38-year Franklin Cup sponsorship
By Barry Lichter • 15 December 2018
John Street has seen a string of topliners win the Franklin Cup in the 38 years he’s been sponsoring the race - one of his own included.
And Turn It Up looked a worthy addition to the honour roll when he headed home an All Stars’ trifecta in the pre-Christmas feature on Friday night.
In what surely must be one of the longest running sponsorships in harness racing, Street and his wife Lynne these days underpin the race under the banner of their Lincoln Farms Bloodstock.
But for a majority of the years it was known as the Pak ’N’ Save Cup, when Street would invite his supermarket contacts like Anchor Foods, Griffins and Cadburys to the race night and entertain 400 guests on the top floor at Alexandra Park.
Street’s sponsorship began in 1981 when Dave Gibbons’ Paul Command won the race and over the years many of harness racing’s champions have won the magnificent trophy en route to bigger things.
Franklin Cup winners to have won the Auckland Cup in the same season have included horses of the calibre of The Bru Czar (1990), Sharp And Telford (1996), Auckland Reactor (2008) and Vincent last year.
Street won the race himself in 2004 with the showy black Attorney General who went on to forge a successful career in the United States before returning here for a stud career.
In recent years the Franklin Cup has been the sole domain of Mark Purdon and the All Stars Stable - Turn It Up’s win was Purdon’s fifth on end.
Incredibly Purdon has won eight of the last 11 runnings with previous winners Vincent, Titan Banner, Its Bettor To Win, Smolda, Highview Tommy, Russell Rascal and Auckland Reactor.
Purdon shares in the ownership of Turn It Up, along with Lee Pilcher who was gifted a share by All Stars on the death in May of his brother Neil, and Waikato identities Jim and Anne Gibbs.
In his post race speech on Friday night Street acknowledged the rare contribution Jim Gibbs has made to racing.
Gibbs, a leading thoroughbred trainer for 47 years, is no stranger to winning big races - he developed Doriemus and kept a small share in the galloper after his sale, sharing in his 1995 Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double.
Since his retirement in 2009 Gibbs and his wife Anne have had a great run owning pacers and tonight will be in Melbourne for the A$500,000 Interdominion Grand Final at Melton where their charge Spankem will start one of the favourites.
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Our runners this week
Saturday night at Albion Park
Captain Nemo.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Major Achievement
5.19pm
“It’s his first race for a while and he hasn’t been setting the world on fire at the workouts. But he’s been racing better animals and this isn’t a stellar bunch. He’s a chance if things go his way. I’ve given Mathew Salaivao the drive.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.19pm
“He’s an average horse but the last time he raced here in amateur company he all but won. He’ll need luck from the second row but, while I couldn’t label him, he’s a runner’s chance.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
6.59pm
“She got a bit sick for a while with a virus and I had to back off her. She seems over that now but I’m picking she’ll need a race. This will be like a glorified trial for her.”
Race 8: My Copy
8.14pm
“He came to the end of it so I gave him a little freshen-up and he seems in good shape again. It will be interesting to see how he goes fresh - he may need a race but he’ll appreciate the step-down in class. I’m running him here so he doesn’t come up against any bear cats first-up.”
Race 9: Lincoln Cove
8.47pm
“Hopefully he’s getting better but you’ve just got to take him on trust. He has ability but the desire has been sadly lacking. Zac will have to sit quietly on him as he broke when given only one tap with the stick last time. The small field will suit him as he won’t be too far off them. If he doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll give them a fright.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Leo Lincoln
6.43pm
“Maurice said he would have finished a lot closer last time than sixth (fourth or even third) had he not locked wheels at the 100. That took all his momentum away. He’s been holding his form well and he gets out well enough to use the inside draw. He’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.39pm
“He did have marks on his boot after his last run and trying a spreader on him has helped. But he’s a real baby. He has real ability but he’s still developing mentally and physically and we’re still finding our way with him.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.39pm
“He’s racing well but he’ll find it tough from the outside draw.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.07pm
“I can’t see her improving enough to give the Purdon/Phelan trio a fright. She can go (fast) enough but still has a lot to learn. The main thing for her is getting round safely. She’s put two in a row now so hopefully she’ll start improving.”
Race 10: Lincoln La Moose
9.59pm
“He had an excuse last time - he got wiped out on the first corner and that was the end of his race. I like him, he’s a nice horse, just not quite as experienced as Frisco Bay.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.59pm
“I lean towards Frisky as the better chance of our two. You can’t fault what he did the other night at Cambridge, and he seems to be on the improve. He’s more reliable than Lincoln La Moose.”
