Marketplace and The Lazarus Effect and co square off in tonight's Canterbury Classic

By Michael Guerin

Regan Todd may have the hottest horse in New Zealand open class pacing but he isn’t getting carried away with Marketplace even if the superstar is odds-on at Addington tonight.

The flying four-year-old opened the remarkably short $1.75 favourite in the Lamb And Hayward Canterbury Classic (8.02pm), the toughest race of the spring so far and a crucial lead-up to the Go Media New Zealand Cup.

Marketplace not only meets The Lazarus Effect and It’s Tough but reigning Horse of the Year in Republican Party and faces starting wide on a full front line from a standing start for the first time in his career.

He has won both his standing starts and showed great manners but trainer Todd admits tonight brings a different challenge. 

“In both those races he was in small fields and off a handicap,” says Todd.

“This week he will be hemmed up amongst horses, although being wide should mean he doesn’t have to come into line until late.

“But it is still a new challenge and a really good field.

“If horses like The Lazarus Effect step quickly and lead or end up trailing a horse like It’s Tough or even Republican Party they could be really hard to run down.”

Todd says he is happy with his stable star after a private workout before the races at Addington last Friday but he is also still on the way up, for obvious reasons.

“My job is to have him peaking for November 10 [Cup Day],” says Todd.

“So he will improve on whatever he does on Friday and it is a step up compared with anything he has done here before.”

Just how quickly Marketplace begins could be crucial as The Lazarus Effect tends to be very fast away and field position and intent inside the first 800m could decide the race as the big boys are all capable of pacing 54 seconds for their last 800m, making coming wide and running past them incredibly difficult.

The Lazarus Effect paced those kind of sectionals in his recent Rangiora trials win and looms as the horse for Marketplace to beat while Republican Party should be the big improver from last start and will enjoy being back on level terms with his rivals, so his $27 opening price was never going to last.

Todd also has the favourite in tonight’s Garrards Sires’ Stakes Sophomore in Franco Lomu, who was a huge third after an early burn behind Jumal last Friday.

He is drawn one on the second line following out exciting southerner Cruise Maguire tonight and if the latter leads, as looks likely, Franco Lomu could get the perfect trail.

“That would be the ideal situation and then we will get the opportunity to see if he has bounced back from the hard run he had last Friday,” says Todd.

Cruise Maguire and the northerners War Party and Nazare add some real newcomer depth to the race but if Franco Lomu trails he is still a deserved favourite.

Also with a strong northern flavour is tonight’s R D Butt Canterbury Park Trotting Cup with Higher Power, Meant To Be and Hillbilly Blues coming south for a race lacking Canterbury’s form trotters of the spring.

After two stunning recent Alexandra Park wins Higher Power opened the $2.30 favourite while both Meant To Be (10m) and Hillbilly Blues (front) will have driver changes for tonight.

Earlier in the night Todd has stable newcomer Elton J in Race 3 and thinks the hot favourite is ready to win even after a long break away from the track with a soundness issue.