The Lazarus Effect seals start in New Zealand Trotting Cup

By Michael Guerin

It may have been the perfect start to The Lazarus Effect’s New Zealand Trotting Cup campaign but it can get even better.

Because trainer-driver Bob Butt has an ace up his sleeve, one he didn’t put on the table in Friday night’s Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington.

Not that The Lazarus Effect needed any help as his brilliant standing start manners early and then natural ability after saw him never really looking in danger of defeat as he led mid stages and scooted home too quickly for Mo’unga and a brave Renegade.

The win guarantees him a place in the New Zealand Trotting Cup on Tuesday, November 10. He is a $10 favourite and could lay claim to being the best local hope depending on what Marketplace and Republican Party do in the next 10 weeks.

Butt knows though as good as The Lazarus Effect was on Friday there is improved fitness and perhaps more importantly better concentration to come.

“I left the blinds off tonight with him being fresh up and because of that he was terrible in front,” admitted Butt.

“So they will be going back on him next start.”

That would explain why The Lazarus Effect never really seemed to be travelling the last 600m, with Butt having to coax him as he waited for those behind to close, which they never really did.

The thought of him being more dialed in next start and fitter is a daunting one for his local spring rivals.

That start is likely to be back at Addington in two weeks, although Butt suggests as always that will depend on how The Lazarus Effect comes through Friday night’s race.

The majority of connections were positive about their pacer’s performances post-race but the open class racing is only going to get tougher as some of the other big names return and that is without thinking ahead to the likely return of Larry, aka Leap To Fame, for the Cup itself.

While The Lazarus Effect was lazy in front it was the complete opposite in the night’s main trot won by Bring On The Muscle.

He trotted straight to the lead for Matty Williamson in the Tyre General Basil Dean and while Williamson would have been happy to take a trail in the middle stages his equine mate wasn’t.

“I would have been happy trailing but he latched on a bit and Brad’s horse (He Ain’t Fakin) was being a bit lazy so we ended up staying in front and he won it well,” said Williamson.

That was the second Addington win in as many starts this campaign for the Clark Barron-trained trotter and he is emerging as a spring factor as a time when our open class trotting ranks could do with some new blood.

At the other end of his career but retaining some zest is Midnight Dash, who flew home late when he got clear and could have won with a touch more luck.

And his stablemate Mr Love peaked late clearly in need of the run, as his connections had publicly suggested before the race. 

While the two open races of the night were won off the front Franco Ankara had to come wide and fast from four back on the outer to win the $30,000 Touchdown Car Rentals Rising Stars, holding out another luckless runner-up in Franco Lomu.

It was hard to argue the winner wasn’t a deserved victor though as he did the most work of the placegetters and looks a horse on the up for Team Dalgety.

Also excellent coming from off the speed was Song Of Seas in the Nevele R Fillies as she gave trainer Tom Bagrie a double for the night, a feat matched by Hayden and Amanda Cullen with trotter Major Cyclone and impressive debutante juvenile Faith No Fear, the brother to Captains Mistress who has clearly inherited the family ability.