Trainer Stephen Brown describes Big Bear Rock as "a cripple" but is confident the gelding's bravery will lead to another strong showing at Flemington on Tuesday.

Hamstrung by arthritis, the five-year-old is nevertheless primed for a competitive run in the Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m).

He goes into the race after just three runs in the past year as Brown concentrates on managing the issue.

Despite the problem, Big Bear Rock's past two runs have produced solid wins - at Darwin in July and a sizzling run down the Flemington straight over 1000 metres on December 15.

"He's a pretty mature horse now, he knows what's going on and I think Darwin was good for him, he learned how to race a little bit," Brown said.

"I think he's a good show."

Big Bear Rock has had health problems which have held him back for most of his life.

"He didn't race until he was four because he had a lot of bone problems," Brown said.

"As a young horse he had soft spots in his shin bones.

"We couldn't race him early because he used to go really sore but we put him on a course of some new-fangled stuff three years ago and it seems to have worked.

"He's a bit of a cripple. He was diagnosed with ringbone which is a build-up of bone, which is arthritis really."

Despite the issues, Brown says his horse should still be able to produce strong results.

"It's only going to get worse as he gets older but we'll get a couple of good seasons out of him, for sure, but probably we'll never see the best of him."

Brown said the arthritic problem seemed to dissipate as the gelding warmed up.

"He's feeling it for sure, but he's able to run through it," he said.

"Once he gets mobile he doesn't give any indication that he feels it. It's only when he walks out of his box and trots along."

Big Bear Rock is at double-figure odds in the Standish behind the 2012 winner, the Mark Kavanagh-trained Catapulted who is the $3.20 favourite.

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