Lazarus tastes defeat

JUST 10 days after his second New Zealand Cup triumph in Christchurch, champion Kiwi pacer Lazarus has been beaten in his first start in Perth’s Inter Dominion series.

All the talk pre-race was whether Lazarus, from an outside draw, could match it with local star Soho Tribeca, who had drawn barrier two and was a likely leader.

Soho Tribeca’s trainer, Kim Prentice, who won the 2003 Inter Dominion in Christchurch with Baltic Eagle, talked up a big game in the media during the week. And he backed it up in spades. Lazarus was brave in defeat, sitting parked for the last 1400 metres outside the winner, but a searing 54.5secs final half-mile meant he couldn’t reel in the leader.

His co-trainer and driver, Mark Purdon, still managed feature race success on the card, however, with gun four-year-old Ultimate Machete taking out the Yes Loans 4YO Classic for he and partner Natalie Rasmussen.

He started a $1.10 favourite from the coveted ace draw but was actually crossed early on by both Wardan Express and Rock Diamonds.

Purdon was off the pegs as quick as a flash and straight round to the lead, a position from which he dominated the race thereafter.

He burned a 1.53.8 mile-rate around the half-mile track and cleared out to win comfortably by 11 metres, showing no real ill- effects from his brilliant New Zealand Free For All win at Addington seven days earlier and the significant travel thereafter.

Purdon’s other charge in the Inter Dominions, Have Faith In Me, was lost for early speed and couldn’t get in to the race, finishing second last behind allthe-way winner Chicago Bull.

Aussie champion Lennytheshark won the other heat, also leading from start to finish in the hands of Chris Alford, defying a tough Tiger Tara, who sat parked outside him and fought on bravely for second spot.

Completing the Purdon and Rasmussen squad was Piccadilly Princess, who put in a good effort for fifth, from an unsuitable second line draw, in the Norms Daughter Classic for mares.

The series moves to the Bunbury track on Tuesday night for another round of heats. Lazarus has again drawn poorly, second from the outside in a race where Tiger Tara is drawn to lead.

Have Faith In Me is on the outside (three) of the second line in Lennytheshark’s heat.