Lazarus Laps Rivals In Vic Cup

28 January 2017 | Chris Barsby
Logo

It’s a knockout.

The triumphant performance of New Zealand pacer Lazarus in tonight’s (Saturday) Gr.1 $400,000 Eynesbury Victoria Cup at TABCORP Park, Melton had to be seen to be believed after he embarrassed his rivals in the 2240m feature.

It was eerily similar to his New Zealand Cup thrashing back in November when successful by an ever expanding margin.

The brilliant pacer joins only Sinbad Bay and Holmes DG as winners of the Victoria Cup as a four-year-old.

Starting as a clear favourite after landing gate six, Lazarus ($1.50 fav) pushed hard from the gate and found a forward position early before Purdon allowed the Bettors Delight entire to stride freely down the back straight on the first occasion to take the lead from Major Crocker with a mile left to travel.

The lead time was covered in 44.2 seconds.

With Mach Doro galloping wildly at release point and then Hectorjayjay also making a rare error, the race took on a completely different look in comparison to most speed maps.

Many thought the race was over once Lazarus found the front.

Lazarus travelled strongly in front and covered the first half of the final mile in splits of 30 and 28.6 seconds.

Bling It On worked clear from the inside and moved around the outside while Allblack Stride also made a mid-race move before Hectorjayjay charged around to sit parked over the final lap.

At this point, rivals were chasing in vain.

Entering the back straight, Lazarus powered along in front leaving rivals starting to feel the pinch while others jostled for better positions.

The third quarter was covered in 27.4 seconds.

At the top of the home straight, Purdon lifted the reins and his star pupil left his rivals tapping out as he inflicted more pain with a scintillating final sectional.

He finished off his rivals with a 26.4 final split.

Lazarus defeated Major Crocker ($81.80) by 12m while Bling It On ($14.20) grabbed third a further 7.7m away.

The final mile was clocked in 1:52.4.

The race time was 2:36.6 – a mile rate of 1:52.5 which easily eclipsed the previous race record of Smoken Up who set a mark of 1:53.4 when successful in 2011.

It also smashed the track record which previously belonged to All Eyes On Us at 1:53.2.

“He’s a very special horse, perhaps the greatest I’ve ever trained.” Purdon stated immediately after the race.

The victory was his third in the event following previous victories with Young Rufus (2003) and Brabham (1998 – trainer).

The winning effort also elevates Lazarus to a clear lead in the Australian Pacing Gold Grand Circuit with 200 points following his victories in both the New Zealand and Victoria Cups; his stablemates Smolda (120) and Our Dream About Me (100) are next.

Perth pacer Chicago Bull has also amassed 100 points.

Only two legs of the APG Grand Circuit remain this season.

Next week, the Gr.1 $500,000 Del Re National Hunter Cup takes place; the 2700m mobile event will be staged at Melton.

 

Related News

29 March 2024
Gibson family honoured in more ways than one at Bathurst Carnival
SINCE the inception of the Bathurst Gold Crown in 1987, the Gibson family and their Success Stud have positively contributed to shaping the hugely-successful juvenile carnival. Originally based in Queensland before relocating to the idyllic Young region, the late John Gibson initially operated Success...
29 March 2024
Group 1 mares add star power to Riverina Championships
Four Group 1 winning mares - including two currently considered to be among the nation’s best - will clash in an intriguing battle at the Riverina Championships finals program at Wagga on Sunday. The meeting features two $100,000 finals for four and five year-old pacers - one each for the boys...
29 March 2024
Ford looking for Gold on Good Friday
The combined harness and greyhound meeting on Good Friday night in Hobart is fast becoming a Tassie racing tradition, and it’s back again with eight greyhound races and six harness events making up this year’s 14-race program. Driver Dylan Ford will be out to continue his excellent start...
28 March 2024
New HRV chair Adam Kilgour on challenges, opportunities
Newly appointed Harness Racing Victoria chair Adam Kilgour says his passion for a challenge and the people in racing drives his desire to strengthen the industry. Kilgour was yesterday announced to replace Dale Monteith as the head of the board, on which he has served since 2018, and said he was eager...
28 March 2024
La sun of a gun emerges as Blackbook zeros in on breeding line
La Machane won 20 of her 61 starts and more than $330,000 for connections in Ross and Greg Sugars' care and the mare's making just as big an impression in the breeding barn. Having given us La Puddie ($137,179) and La Captain ($182,020), the Bettors Delight mare has another nice type in Benbullan, who...
Click for more