New Zealand superstar Lazarus, the raging hot favourite to win the $1.1 million final of the TABtouch Inter Dominion championship at Gloucester Park and with a remarkable winning record of 86 per cent, is facing the serious possibility of being beaten in the opening heat on Friday night.
Lazarus, undefeated at his past eight starts and fresh from his devastating victory in the New Zealand Cup at Addington earlier this month, has drawn the outside in the field of nine in the 2130m heat and prominent West Australian breeder and owner Rob Watson is bubbling with confidence that his outstanding five-year-old Soho Tribeca will prove the master of Lazarus.
“Soho Tribeca has drawn barrier two and the draw is certainly in our favour,” he said. “Our aim will be to lead.”
Watson revealed that Soho Tribeca had worked brilliantly last Saturday morning, saying that the big, powerful stallion had recorded a sensational time, leaving trainer-reinsman Kim Prentice buoyant and extremely bullish about the horse’s prospects, not only on the first night of the series, but in the rich final over 2936m.
“Soho Tribeca recorded some amazing sectionals on Saturday and has pulled up in great shape and is ready to go,” he said. “Kim couldn’t be happier, and I don’t think he can sleep at night; he’s so excited.”
Asked to compare Soho Tribeca with Lazarus, Watson said: “I really don’t know, to be honest. They have never raced against each other. I know that our horse is capable of some amazing things, but I’m sure Lazarus is as well. So, I guess it’s hard to line them up, but the barrier draws are in our favour.
“There is going to be a bit of speed from Devendra (the polemarker). But I think we should land in front and the only problem then could be Run Oneover, regarding what he does at the start.”
Run Oneover, trained by Gary Hall Snr, bounced back to his best form last Friday night when he started from barrier five and dashed to the front after 400m before going on to win comfortably from Mysta Magical Mach, rating 1.54.1 over 1730m. However, reinsman Gary Hall Jnr said that it was his early intention not to bustle Run Oneover at the start from the No. 4 barrier.
Ace Christchurch trainer-reinsman Mark Purdon is disappointed that his champion has drawn the outside barrier but punters will be unwise to underestimate the brilliant pacer who has amassed $2,652,139 from 31 wins and five placings from 36 starts.
Soho Tribeca is overdue for a change of fortune after having been narrowly beaten into second place at each of his past three starts, losing by a head to Shandale over 2130m, by a head to Chicago Bull over 1730m and by a short half-head to Chicago Bull over 2536m.
Soho Tribeca, who made most of the running to win the Group 1 Vicbred Classic for four-year-old stallions and geldings at Melton early in July this year, also showed his class when he won the Golden Nugget from Nathans Courage and Chicago Bull at Gloucester Park last December.
Watson declared that Soho Tribeca had improved considerably since his Nugget success. “He’s far better now and has become a stronger horse,” he said. “He’s an amazing animal, big and strong and is improving all the time.”
A win by Soho Tribeca would complete a remarkable hat-trick for Watson, whose two previous Inter Dominion runners at Gloucester Park have been Faking It (2004) and Auckland Reactor in 2012 (as a member of a syndicate).
Faking It, trained by Gary Hall Snr and driven by Gary Hall Jnr, won the first heat on the opening night, beating Double Identity, driven by Prentice. Then, in 2012, Auckland Reactor, driven by Anthony Butt, won the first heat on the opening night. Neither Faking It nor Auckland Reactor was placed in the final.
Now Watson would dearly love to win the first heat of this year’s Inters series and then go on and triumph in the rich final.
