Successful partnership paints familiar picture at Addington

It was Orange and Green at Addington Raceway once more on New Zealand Cup Day with the success of The Big Lebowski in the Gr.3 TAB Junior Free-For-All (2600m).

Northern trainer Ray Green and local reinsman Blair Orange have been a potent combination on the second Tuesday of November, having combined to win two editions of the Gr.1 New Zealand Trotting Cup (3200m) with Copy That.

The $2 million earner was owned by Merv and Meg Butterworth, who also race The Big Lebowski, and Orange said it was a thrill to win his third Junior Free-For-All for the Australian couple, having previously won the race with Krug (2021) and Republican Party (2022) for trainer Cran Dalgety.

“I got a great run early and I was just a bit mindful of following Might Looee. I slipped in behind Wag Star for a little bit, and everything just panned out well,” Orange said.

“It is great for Ray, Merv and Meg. We have had a lot of success with Copy That on days like this, and a couple of Cran’s runners with Republican Party and Krug won this race too, so it has been a kind race to me.”

Orange didn’t have long to wait to return to the winner’s circle, guiding Treacherous Baby to her fourth straight victory in the Gr.1 Nevele R 3YO Fillies Series Final (1980m) for trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon.

It was Mark Purdon’s 11th training victory in the race, and Nathan’s second, with the father-and-son partnership combining to win last year’s running with Millwood Nike.

It was Orange’s first win in the race, and New Zealand’s leading reinsman was rapt to get the result for his employers.

“I got great enjoyment out of (winning) that for Nathan and what he is doing with Mark,” Orange said.

“Nathan has really helped my driving lately and has made me more focussed and has put me on some of these great horses.

“I am really proud of this girl. She probably shouldn’t have won today, but to her credit she really wanted to beat Duchess Megxit.”

Bred and owned by Manawatu’s Braedan and Caroline Whitelock, Treacherous Baby is out of their Group One-winning mare O Baby, who was victorious in the 2012 running of the Nevele R 3YO Fillies Series Final.

O Baby has proven to be a solid producer for the Whitelocks, having also produced last start Group Two winner Mo’unga.

The Whitelocks, who are the parents of former All Blacks Sam, Luke and George, and former All Blacks Sevens player Adam, have been longtime supporters of the stable, and Orange said it was great to win the race for them.

“They breed their racehorses like they breed their All Blacks,” he said. “They are a tremendous couple and they deserve everything they get for the money they put into our sport.”

Photo: RIS