Lazarus Photo by Scott Hamilton Media
New Zealand superstar Lazarus has lost very few admirers after being beaten into second place on the first two nights of qualifying heats for the TABtouch Inter Dominion championship and he gets his chance to break through for an overdue success when he contests the ninth and final Princi Butchers heat of the series at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Again, he has drawn poorly, out wide at No. 7 in the 2536m heat. However, he has a decisive edge in class over his eight rivals and he should warm up for the $1.1 million final on the following Friday night with his first victory in Western Australia.
Lazarus has not been punished in finishing second to Soho Tribeca over 2130m at Gloucester Park and second to Tiger Tara over 2100m at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park and he should be in peak condition after two excellent performances after working hard, three wide in the middle stages and then in the breeze.
His was a marvellous effort when second to Tiger Tara in Bunbury on Tuesday night. He started from barrier six, settled in eighth place and started a three-wide move after a lap before moving to the breeze 800m from home. After the second and third quarters in 27.7sec. and 28.2sec. Tiger Tara sped over the final 400m in 26.5sec. to give Lazarus virtually no hope of overhauling him.
Lazarus did not shirk the issue and finished only a half-length behind Tiger Tara.
Galactic Star, to be driven by Ryan Warwick for leading WA trainer Skye Bond, has drawn ideally at barrier No. 2 in the field of nine and appears to be the chief danger to Lazarus. He impressed at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park on Tuesday night when he was fifth at the bell, three back on the pegs, before charging home, out four wide, from fourth at the 100m to snatch a narrow victory from Yayas Hot Spot and Lennytheshark.
That followed his third behind Chicago Bull on the opening night of the series at Gloucester Park after working hard without cover.
Yayas Hot Spot’s prospects in Friday night’s heat deteriorated when he drew out wide at barrier eight. He impressed on Tuesday night when he took advantage of the No. 1 barrier to lead for the first 700m before trailing Lennytheshark and then getting through on the inside to take a narrow lead 25m from the post before being overhauled in the final stride by Galactic Star.
Vultan Tin, trained at Coolup by Phil Costello, has been the surprise packet of the series and he needs to finish in the top four or five to qualify for the final on Friday week. He will again be driven by Chris Voak and faces a stern test from the awkward No. 5 barrier.
However, he did a fine job from barrier five in a heat on Tuesday night when he raced three wide in the early stages and then in the breeze before fighting on grimly to be a close-up fourth behind Soho Tribeca. That followed his encouraging effort on the opening night of the series when he sat behind the pacemaker Lennytheshark and finished third to that grand performer.
