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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Partners and pedigree made Johnny Lincoln’s win special - but where was everyone?
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Im Not The Maid
5.14pm
“She went pretty well last week considering they came a fast last half (56.3) and she sat parked from the 800. She’s back to the amateur grade, and should get a good run from the two draw, so hopefully we can get a bit of cash.”
Race 4: Dreams Of Eric
6.38pm
“He didn’t handle the right-handed bends at Auckland last week (galloping at the 300) so we’ll stick to Cambridge from now on. There’s a bit of gate speed in the race so Harry (Harrison Orange) should be able to sit in somewhere. I think he’s a good chance to run top three.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.59pm
“He’s racing very well. He would have run second last week (to American Me) had he not spooked at the winning post. These are tidy horses he’s racing against but he’s holding his own.”
Race 1: Kevin Kline
5.59pm
“He’ll go better back to a mobile start. He did well to finish so close last week after a slow start than having to do all the donkey work when parked for the last lap. Maurice really likes him because he just puts him into cruise control and he keeps going.”
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.58pm
“She’s not as good as the other filly but some lift their game when the money’s up so maybe she can pick up a cheque.”
Race 3: Lincoln’s Spice
6.58pm
“She looks a pretty decent chance of winning. She’s a real little tradesman, does nothing wrong, is easy to handle, is a nice drive, tries hard, is great gaited and has the potential to get stronger.”
Race 5: Tyson
7.51pm
“We found out he raced with a virus last time. The next morning snot was pouring out his nose and that’s why he didn’t finish it off as well as we expected. He only whacked away in the run home. With that gone, he should race better.”
Race 5: Johnny Lincoln
7.51pm
“I think he’ll be competitive and he’s the best of ours in the race. He won well last week and has trained on well. He’s promising. I couldn’t go as far as to say he’s a classic colt yet but we’ll find out soon enough.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.51pm
“He’s doing my head in. He had no excuse for breaking last week. Maurice (McKendry) didn’t blame the wet track. He said he was gliding along, travelling beautifully, when for no apparent reason he put in big steps. I’ll put a hood on him this time to see if it’s a nervous issue.”
Race 8: The Rascal
9.23pm
“All going well, he should win what is a poor maiden field. He’s elevated himself from the transfer list and is going well now. He doesn’t have huge gate speed, so he may not lead but he should get a good trip from one. On paper, he’s our best chance of the night.”
