Franklin out to upset L L Cool J in 2021 Redcliffe Christmas Cup

By Jordan Gerrans

Hobby trainer Greg Franklin was surprised to see a pacer of L L Cool J’s quality in the 2021 Redcliffe Christmas Cup field and believes he is the only horse in the way of Squire winning at The Triangle on Wednesday evening.

The 2021 TAB Queensland Summer Harness Racing Carnival concludes tonight with the Redcliffe Christmas Cup, Trotters Christmas Cup and the Redcliffe Guineas.    

Franklin, who has had a licence for over 40 years, thought the ever-consistent Squire would be every chance of taking home the Christmas Cup until he saw the Vicki Rasmussen and Shane Graham combination nominated.

Trainer Vicki Rasmussen and driver Shane Graham, who finished second in the Redcliffe Christmas Cup 12 months ago, head to Redcliffe in red-hot form, combining to win five of 10 races on the card on Saturday night at Albion Park.

L L Cool J has not won in his last five attempts but is a Triangle specialist, having claimed the Group 2 Redcliffe Cup in June as well as the Listed Patrons Purse at his previous start at the track.  

Franklin’s Squire has not done a lot of winning of late himself – claiming victory just twice this season – but is as honest as they come, running in the money on 14 different occasions this campaign, which the experienced horseman believes places him well for a race like the Redcliffe Christmas Cup.

“He probably cannot beat L L Cool J but he definitely can run a place,” an honest Franklin said.

“L L Cool J is the best horse in the race, he has raced in all the feature races, so being realistic, my one is going quite well, but I am not sure he can beat L L Cool J.

“Squire is as good as the rest of them in the field but I am not sure he can beat this one.

“If Squire gets a good trip and L L Cool J has to do a bit of work, you never know, we might be some chance.”

L L Cool J is rated a $1.45 chance in the event as of Wednesday morning, with Squire at $12 with the TAB. 

Franklin has three in work at his Redcliffe stable and is enjoying his time training after retiring from full-time work, where he was the track manager at the Peninsula-based club for a long time.

The small Franklin stable has long had horses with breeder and owner Heath Stoodly, who now owns Squire, after he did much of his early racing in NSW as well as spending time in New Zealand.

The veteran trainer has had Squire – who will be driven by regular partner Nathan Dawson on Wednesday night - in his barn for around six months now.

The Stoodly and Franklin partnership has been a fruitful, the combination racing now retired pacer Remember Them in recent years, which provided them 23 victories and almost $180,000 in career prize money.

With 19 victories to Squire’s name, the team are hopeful he can go close to replicating the feats of Remember Them.

“He is a good style of horse, he is a big strong bugger,” Franklin said of Squire.

“He has done well; he has won around $30,000 since I have had him.

“He is a proper Saturday night horse and in the Redcliffe Christmas Cup, you would assume he is well placed, but I was surprised to see L L Cool J in that race.”

Franklin stable-mate Wedding Night is also set to go around on their home track on Wednesday night, with the 68-year-old trainer optimistic of a strong performance over 1780 metres.

“She was an eight-year-old maiden that had 60 odd starts that had not won yet and I paid $800 for her,” he said.

“She has since won three races for me and I give her a good chance tonight.

“She has to be some chance from the draw, the one of Jack Butler’s will be hard to beat, but I am sure our mare will race well.”

Click here to see the full programme relating to the 2021 TAB Queensland Summer Harness Racing Carnival.