Orange continues his Cup habit

The New Zealand 3200m standing start record of 3:53.1, set by Lazarus in last year’s New Zealand Cup, was seriously threatened on Saturday by Classie Brigade when winning the Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Trotting Cup.

Trained at Weedons by Nigel McGrath, Classie Brigade posted a marginally slower 3:53.5 to continue a theme which began last season. Classie Brigade was one of the country’s best three year olds but his attempts to get one up on Lazarus, such as when second to the champion in both the Flying Stakes and the Derby, were always denied.

Classie Brigade was driven by Blair Orange who is making a habit of winning Invercargill Cups.

In the past three years he’s won on Saveapatrol (2014) and Johnny Fox (2015) and in earlier years on Highview Tommy ( 2011) Harnetts Creek (2004) and The Tough Nut (2000).

‘‘Its good when you get on the right horses,’’ Orange said.

Classie Brigade started from 30m behind and Orange settled him back in the running. He was well aware of the strong pace but said his charge handled it well. About 600 metres from home, Orange asked the four year old to improve and he quickly got up beside the pacemaking Captain Dolmio. He had a fight on his hands though and only got clear close to home.

‘‘When we got out and sprinted he felt good, he began to pull up when he got to the front but kept fighting,’’ Orange said.

Classie Brigade, who finished second in last year’s Southland Supremacy Stakes, had half a length to spare at the finish.

The group three win was a fitting reward for McGrath who lined up three in the feature, all of them stallions. Maverick and Matthew Williamson ran home well for third after breaking early. McGrath was sixth on Ears Burning who pulled a flat tyre for most of the race.

Meanwhile, Star pacer Lazarus’ formidable reputation continues to soar sky-high following a seemingly effortless win in the Victoria Cup at Melton on Saturday night.

A champion in the making, if he is not already in that category, Lazarus blitzed the field by 12 metres in track record time when he paced the 2240m with a mile rate of 1:52.5.

He highlighted a Kiwi domination at Melton on Saturday night when New Zealand trained runners won seven of the 10 races.

Mark Purdon, who drove five winners said Lazarus had come through the run with ease.