It was the second straight victory in the time-honoured feature for Mark Purdon, who co-trained (with Natalie Rasmussen) and drove Smolda to win last year’s race.
The 2017 edition was one of the more talked about in recent history with a myriad of stars in the race and pre-race tactics a key talking point.
Lazarus was a better-than-even money favourite and justified the weight of support with a dominant victory from the parked position.
Purdon didn’t rush his charge early, settling one out and two back before making his move to the chair around the 2000-metre mark.
He was content to sit outside the leader, Tiger Tara, with Lennytheshark on his back and Chicago Bull trailing on the markers.
As the acid went on down the back the last time, Lazarus was in cruise control and he proceeded to surge clear when Purdon pushed the go button at the top of the straight.
The usually-reserved master horseman had a frog in his throat post-race as he heaped praise on his star entire.
“He is a champion and he had to be tonight, too. He was just super.
“He just relaxed out there and didn’t take anything out of himself; he knows when the business end is - just a real professional.”
Purdon said he was travelling ‘peaches and cream’ over the last lap.
“Tiger Tara was sort of flat down the back and [Lazarus] was travelling better than him, so it was just a matter of nursing him around the corner.
“But he handled it perfectly anyway.”
Purdon gave a rare salute over the past 50 metres and said it was cathartic release for him after a high-intensity fortnight in Perth.
“It was a great feeling.
“When you’ve got a horse like this it comes with a lot of pressure, too.
“So, it’s just a relief and an acknowledgement of that.”
He then paid the horse two big compliments, saying he was the best of the many good horses he is trained and rightfully deserves the champion tag.
“I don’t call many of them champions, but this horse is.”
Chicago Bull was extracted from the markers by Gary Hall Jnrs at the top of the straight and worked home nicely for second without ever looking like winning, while Tiger Tara held on for third.
Outsider Vultan Tin brought his connections great delight by working home for fourth while Soho Tribeca finished strongly out wide and was the unlucky runner of the race.
- NZ Harness News
