Lazarus ready to make amends

By Jonny Turner

Lazarus has left behind rave reviews about his first crop of foals in North America after touching down in Australia last week.

After landing in Sydney, the superstar New Zealand bred entered quarantine as he prepares for his second season at stud in Australasia.

The two-time New Zealand Cup winner served 136 mares in his first stud season in North America and the resulting progeny have been given a big tick of approval over the past few months.

“The feedback has been great,” part-owner John Curtin said.

“He is leaving really strong, muscular foals that look like real athletes.”

“And they are of a good size – Lazarus might have looked like a smaller horse on the track because of his head carriage but he is 16 hands.”

“We have heard from a lot of breeders and they have been raving about his foals.”

One of the biggest compliments Lazarus’ foals have been give came after they passed muster with leading New Jersey breeding farm Concord Stud.

“Concord Stud are the leading vendors at the Harrisburg sales and they have six Lazarus foals,” Curtin said.

“I have spoken to David Meirs about them and they couldn’t be happier and they can’t wait to take them to the yearling sales.”

Lazarus headed back Down Under after serving 112 mares at Deo Volente Farms in New Jersey in the recently completing Northern Hemisphere breeding season.

The Bettor’s Delight stallion will soon be out to make amends for a less than ideal first season at stud in Australasia.

The exact cause of Lazarus’ low conceptions rates in the 2019-20 breeding season has never been pinpointed despite extensive testing, Curtin said.

But, given the stallion produced strong in-foal rates directly after returning to North America, which suggests the issue has been resolved.

To ensure the same problems do not arise again, facilities - including air conditioning - have been set up at Yirribee Stud to attempt to mirror the kind of conditions Lazarus lives in in North America,” Curtin said.

“Breeders can send their mares to him with confidence they will get in foal.”

“Despite exhaustive testing by the best vets in the southern hemisphere there was no definitive answer as to what caused the problem.”

“The vets however were confident the problem would resolve, which has been proven to be correct with Lazarus finishing the 2020 northern hemisphere season with a conception rate of 85%.”

“Every possible measure has been taken to mirror the conditions Lazarus has become accustomed to in the US.”

The strong reports about his first crop of foals in New Jersey have added to the good interest in Lazarus ahead of the upcoming Australasian breeding season.

“There has been a lot of interest in him this year and his bookings are ahead of where they were at the same time last season.”

“Returning breeders can get him for $6000 which is probably the greatest deal you will ever see, considering he stands for US$10,000 in New Jersey where there are no discounts.”

Breeders who send their mares to Lazarus will be put in a novel position when their foals hit the ground.

By then Lazarus will have 2yr-olds that will have hit the tracks in North America.

“When these foals are born he will have 2yr-olds racing in North America.”

“That has never happened before for a Down Under bred stallion.”

“So that is going to be pretty exciting for people who breed to him this year.”

Lazarus stands at Yiribee Stud in New South Wales and is available to breeders throughout Australasia for a fee of $8000 including GST in both countries.

Breeders that sent mares to the sire last year can access a fee of $6000 including GST.