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.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
