Iron horse Lazarus claims Hunter Cup
All-conquering champion pacer Lazarus added another jewel to his crown taking out the A$500,000 A G Hunter Cup in sensational fashion at Melton in Victoria on Saturday night.
He sat parked for the last mile in a track-record run 1.54.1-mile rate (2760m) effort and dug in tenaciously down the straight to defy a challenge from Soho Tribeca, who had sat on his back for the last lap-and-a-half.
Co-trainer Mark Purdon did the driving and opted a take-noprisoners approach – uncompromising, ruthless aggression.
Before the race, the connections of Sydney pacer Tiger Tara said they would lead and make it in to a staying test, not letting Lazarus outsprint them, like he did in the Inter Dominion Final in Perth before Christmas.
Purdon said post-race that he was up for the challenge of Tiger Tara’s trainer Kevin Pizzuto, and that’s why he gave up a one-one sit 1900-metres out to go around and eyeball the leader.
‘‘Greg (Sugars) came around on Soho Tribeca and put the pace on for a little while but then backed off. So, I thought I was just going to turn this into a stayers’ race and may the best horse win.’’
Purdon said he had the option to duck in to the trail down the back the last time when Shadow Sax (Gavin Lang) dropped off, but he decided against it and instead forced a 27 quarter.
‘‘I thought I wouldn’t worry about losing ground, I’ll just keep the pressure on and make it a stayers’ race.’’
Purdon said only the very elite horses would have won the race in the fashion Lazarus did.
‘‘He’s a champion. I’ve said it for a long time now and I think tonight he had to be.’’
The winner’s stablemate Heaven Rocks mounted a strong finish down the outside for third for Natalie Rasmussen, nosing out a game Lennytheshark. Lazarus’ next target will be in the A$750,000 Miracle Mile at Menangle in Sydney on February 24 before a likely return home to New Zealand after three months in Australia.
● Meanwhile the decision by Mark Jones to start a satellite stable in Sydney is paying dividends, evidenced by Whittaker’s win in the Group 3 A$40,800 Paleface Adios Stakes at Menangle on Saturday night.
The 1.53.9 mile-rate win earned the son of Sportswriter a berth in next Saturday night’s Group 1 A$200,000 Chariots Of Fire.
“It’s a big thrill to get him in there for his owner, Greg Brodie, and it justifies the big move to have a barn in Sydney. need flagship horses and they need to win and get in to the big races.”
Ashlee Grives manages Jones’ Sydney team when he’s not there and drove Whittaker to victory last night.
“A big thank you has to go to Ashlee; it’s a great team effort. We buy horses for Greg to get in to the big races so we consider this a success just qualifying.”
While Jones never likes to see other people’s horses break down, the injuries to the PurdonRasmussen-trained stable’s Vincent and Ultimate Machete now make victory in the four-year-old feature a distinct possibility.
The move to Sydney has been good for the confidence of Whittaker, who won four of his 12 races in New Zealand and has added a further five from nine Aussie starts.
“He would have whacked around here lucky to win a race in his grade, yet over there he has gained confidence and is doing a great job.”
The Chariots Of Fire had five qualifying races, including three out of state, and the balance of the 10-horse field will be made of placegetters in Saturday night’s race and the other local qualifier, the Hondo Grattan Stakes (Jan 20).