If you were any trainer in the shoes of Jason Reilly you would love to have a horse in your stable like Franklin Corners.
Reilly has given Franklin Corners 11 starts and the galloper is yet to finish further back than fifth.
The galloper will put his impressive record to the test from a wide barrier in the Mates On The Punt Benchmark 58 (1310m) at Lismore on Tuesday.
Franklin Corners has produced three wins, one second, three thirds, three fourths and a fifth for Reilly, his partner Bronwyn Bates and husband and wife Craig and Narelle Want of Grafton.
The four-year-old was unplaced in his first three starts in Queensland before Reilly acquired the son of Unencumbered late last year.
He was able to break through at his third start for Reilly at Lismore in December and has since won two other races at Grafton where he is trained.
Franklin Corners has already earned $42,000 and his performance on Tuesday will determine which option is most suitable for next month’s Grafton Cup carnival.
“He has drawn wide again which is what happened last start in easier grade when he won at Grafton,” Reilly said.
Franklin Corners wins at Grafton on June 12
“It’s a tougher race again from a wide draw, but the horse doesn’t know how to run a bad race.
“It will be a soft track which suits him even better.”
Reilly has a Benchmark 58 on Ramornie Handicap Day and the Maclean Cup at Grafton in mind for Franklin Corners after Tuesday.
The 43-year-old only trains a small team of six with a recent reduction in stable numbers.
All of the trainer's recent success has come with Franklin Corners (3 wins) and also Just A Joke (1 win).
Reilly is expecting stiff opposition from some visiting horses from Queensland and feels luck in running for jockey Leah Kilner will determine the fate of his representative.
“He has a good turn of foot so if he can get a nice trail and then get out into the open he will be hard to hold out,” he said.
“That’s how he won the other day, but as I said it’s a stronger race with some horses in good form.”
Franklin Corners is thriving on his training schedule of a few starts then a few days off in between before returning to training, according to Reilly.
It’s a system that has worked to date with Franklin Corners who has more than repaid his purchase prices.
Fighting Mad is one of those Queensland horses who should make his presence felt after some solid recent displays, while Brinkmanship just missed first-up when third and has to overcome a wide alley on Tuesday.
Brinkmanship has earned the most prize money and has the most wins (4) of any horse in the race.
The consistent Sailing is another strong chance along with Pumps, while last start winner San Pierre is another contender should he start.
All the fields, form and replays for Tuesday's Lismore meeting