The Big Lebowski (Blair Orange) is too strong in Tuesday’s Junior Free-for-all at Addington. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.
What a Dude! The Big Lebowski bowls ‘em and sets aim for Friday’s $200,000 Free-for-all
By Barry Lichter • 13 November 2024
Trainer Ray Green admits to being excited about the prospects of The Big Lebowski in Friday’s $200,000 NZ Free-for-all after his cup day demolition at Addington.
Despite having to make a solo run three wide as far as 700 metres from home, and facing a strong headwind up the home straight, the giant pacer easily put away the strongest Junior Free-for-all field in years.
The effort gave Green plenty of confidence that the seven-year-old will more than hold his own when he backs up against the cup horses on Friday.
“I’m sure he’ll handle it. He’s a big, strong horse and the ones in the cup have had a tougher experience so they’re less likely to back up as well.
“People under-rate this horse because he’s not fashionably bred (by Mach Three out of an unraced Safely Kept mare Cool Maiden) but as well as being tough, he’s very fast. And as we saw on Tuesday he carries his speed a long way.”
The Big Lebowksi has a length and a half to spare over dead-heaters Sooner The Bettor, inner, and Ohoka Connor. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.Clocking 55.36 for his last 800 metres, when three wide, then an impressive 28.37 for his last sectional into the wind, The Big Lebowski had a length and a half margin on second place dead-heaters Sooner The Bettor and Ohoko Connor at the line. He recorded an overall time for the mobile 2600 metres of 3:09.7, a mile rate of 1:57.3.
“He’s just a very good horse,” Green said. “And I don’t see it as so much of a step-up on Friday.
“A horse like Merlin might be more difficult to deal with but the first two home in the cup (Swayzee and Don’t Stop Dreamin) aren’t going to be there and the rest are pretty much on a par.”
Green said Tuesday’s win, on harness racing’s biggest stage, was a deserved success for Melbourne owners Merv and Meg Butterworth, who were there to enjoy the moment.
Getting the big horse to win on cup day was at least some consolation for being denied the chance to see if their little champion Copy That could win three New Zealand Cups, wear and tear having forced his retirement in September.
It also rewarded the time and expense they had put into The Big Lebowski who damaged a hind tendon in August, 2023, and spent 15 months on the sideline.
Owners Merv and Meg Butterworth on the victory dais. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.“It took a lot of work to get him back and he was on the water treadmill at Margaret Park in Matangi for six months before we got him back at Lincoln Farms.
“He hasn’t put a foot wrong since - apart from that race at Ashburton when they backed off the pace and he ran into a horse in front of him and broke.”
Green said from virtually the day the Butterworths sent The Big Lebowski north from Southland he could tell there would be some fun ahead even though he had taken 10 starts to win a race and had a record of only five wins from 28 starts.
With a wonderful nature, The Big Lebowski, at more than 17 hands, is one of the biggest horses Green has trained and as a consequence didn’t start racing until he was a late four-year-old
“Sr Lincoln was stronger looking - but he was a big stallion, whereas this guy is a gelding, but he’s much taller.
“And he has an enormous heart rate recovery so he has a very big motor.”
Green said that was evident for all to see when The Big Lebowski finished only three lengths behind Akuta in the 2023 Auckland Cup in only his second start in the north.
“Go back and look at that race and he was dog lame and couldn’t get round the corners but still finished hard on Copy That’s back.”
Green ran out of time to get The Big Lebowski into the New Zealand Cup this year - Tuesday’s run was only the fifth on his comeback. But he is hoping he’ll get another chance next year and, in the meantime, prove his worthiness in Friday’s 1950 metre Group I dash.
Green sees driver Blair Orange as a key ingredient, after his cup day clinic, when his expert handling of The Big Lebowski gave him one of three wins on the day.
“I wasn’t worried when he took off three wide so far from home. He’d done nothing in the run, slotting into the one-one before ending up four back at the 900.
“He had to make a fairly long, sustained run but I liked how he got onto the back of the parked horse on the corner for a bit of a breather.
“We’re not holding our breath for Friday but we’re hopeful.”
More news in Harness
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Ray gives reformed Rascal his ‘most likely to succeed’ report from the pole on Friday night
Ray doesn’t pull any punches about Sugar Ray but punters weigh in nonetheless
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.”
