The Lazarus Effect and Mr Love - fresh and favoured at Addington tonight

By Brittany Graham

Spring is in the air, and the big guns are starting to plot their path to the second Tuesday in November.

The road to The Cup officially starts on Friday night at Addington when the Maurice Holmes Vase is staged and the winner books their spot in the $800,000 New Zealand Trotting Cup.

The Lazarus Effect has been installed as the short-priced favourite off his 10metre back mark and trialled up impressively for his return at Addington 10 days ago.

Bob Butt couldn’t be happier with the rising star of his stable.

“He is probably as forward he has been starting a prep off, although this is his first time starting off against the big boys.”

The son of Lazarus took some great steps last campaign including proving himself capable of backing up when racing three weeks in a row during the Northern Lights Carnival.

Mentioning he is “as sound as he’s ever been”, Butt is also looking forward to getting the now five-year-old back behind the standing start tapes.

“I don’t think I’ve driven a horse faster off the tapes so it's definitely going to be a big help getting nice positions early.”

He was also joined by stablemates Sideshow Bruce and Wag Star in Cup nominations earlier this week, with the duo trialing this week at Rangiora.

Butt also expects Fanfare to be in for a good campaign post the ‘ultimate gear change’ of a gelding operation during his down time before he returns in the NZB Foal Insurance 2YO.

“He feels great, his work has been good, and he’s trialed up nicely so I am sure he will go a nice race”

“I will probably take him back off the gate though as we buzzed him early a few times in the Autumn and he got a bit hot.”

When it comes to the Basil Dean trotting feature, the Hope stable have won two of the last four runnings and look in a great place to add another to their haul.

Rowe Cup winner Mr Love is first up since that dominant success, while his stablemate and prior winner of this feature Midnight Dash is also off a freshen.

Co-trainer Ben Hope will continue his partnership with Mr Love while Blair Orange will take the reins behind Midnight Dash.

While they are clearly the most established horses in the field, Ben is pragmatic about their chances.

“Mr Love is well, and although he seems a little on the fat side for this starting point, his class should tell”

“The conditions (mobile 1980m) could see him slightly vulnerable, but his work is good enough that he is still the one to beat.”

Midnight Dash on the other hand could capitalize on the short distance assignment.

“He is probably a little more forward than Mr Love to be honest."

Habibti Pat was also in Dominion nominations earlier this week and could have been ready for this week but will start her campaign in the Ordeal Trotting Cup on September 5.

Brittany Graham's Guide to the Quaddie  

The late quaddie will kick off in the Maurice Holmes Vase and in turn will have an enticing $20,000 guaranteed pool to play into.

Here is how my ticket will look:

Leg 1: 7 The Lazarus Effect
Leg 2: 11 Franco Lomu, 10 Ashley Frank and 1 Razor Horizon
Leg 3: 6 Eun Sogno, 5 Nothing But You and 7 Kotare Rimu
Leg 4: 1 Kowhai Star and 3 Mynameisjack