Lazarus sons take on feature Friday racing

Sons of the legendary Lazarus will take centre stage in feature racing in both New Zealand and Australia on Friday.

The Lazarus Effect has travelled south to tackle the Group One Invercargill Cup.

He’s seeking his first Group One success, after finishing a gallant second to Kingman in the Christian Cullen Classic at that level just two starts ago.

This season to date he has been successful already in feature racing, recording a runaway win in the Listed New Zealand Yearling Sales Aged Classic at Kaikoura.

The Cup on Friday will see him compete for the first time against the likes of Republican Party and We Walk By Faith.

He does have the advantage however of starting off the front mark, with Republican Party off a 20m handicap. So early standing start speed should allow him options over the 2700m distance should he start as swiftly as he did in the Geraldine Cup.

Trainer Bob Butt will once again be in the sulky for the Group One feature, and says The Lazarus Effect seems on song for the challenge.

“He has come through the Geraldine Cup well. His work has been spot on and he seems bright and healthy.”

“We just need a bit of luck to go our way, but hopefully it should be a great race.” Butt told Wai Eyre Farm.

Regardless, The Lazarus Effect has handled every step up in grade with poise this season.

He has now had 12 career starts, 8 wins, 3 placings and $137,985 in stakes.

Should The Lazarus Effect finish in the top three, his connections will also receive an added stake bonus of $10,000. An incentive scheme by HRNZ for any four-year-old that competed in the Christian Cullen Classic, and then finishes top three in the Invercargill Cup.

Later Friday night, four-year-old Nathan Street flies the flag for Lazarus in the $50,000 Christmas Gift Final at Gloucester Park, Perth.

Nathan Street

He was an impressive winner of his heat two weeks ago after settling last, and at times trailing the horse in front of him by two lengths, before being launched three and four wide with 1000m to go.

Driver Gary Hall junior was impressed with the horse showing a sustained sprint, flashing down the outside to win in dominant fashion.

Hall had said after that race he felt the horse had actually won it easily in the end, and this week has told Wai Eyre Farm he is confident heading into the final.

“He’s had to draw wide on the gate due to galloping a few starts back,” Hall Junior said.

“But his work on Wednesday was super. I’m expecting him to be very hard to beat despite the draw.”

Nathan Street was transferred to Western Australia to target feature racing with the Gary Hall Senior barn.

He’ll spell briefly in the near future before targeting the open class features on offer.

Nathan Street to date has won 7 of his 25 career starts, with 4 placings and $184,738 in stakes.

He was a two-year-old winner of the Group One Breeders Challenge Final at Menangle, where he paced the mile in 1.50.5.

The Christmas Gift Final will be run at 1am NZ Time on Saturday morning.