By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
Just how good is The Lazarus Effect?
It seems we will find out the answer in Friday’s $125,000 Group 1 Christian Cullen at Addington.
The Bob Butt-trained pacer has created a lot of buzz with seven wins from 10 starts and now takes on a star studded line-up that includes recently crowned New Zealand Cup champion Kingman.
“I don’t know how good is he to be honest,” says trainer Bob Butt.
“He just keeps improving and I haven’t found the ceiling yet. I guess we will know more after Friday.”
Capable of running a sub 55 last 800 – “he has real high speed” – The Lazarus Effect has won four of his last five, including a seven length romp in the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales All Aged Pace at Kaikoura.
“He really stepped up at Kaikoura,” says Butt, “that would probably be his best run so far.”
But Carter Dalgety not Butt will drive The Lazarus Effect this Friday with Butt opting for stablemate Sideshow Bruce.
“It’s hard to split them but Carter has driven The Lazarus Effect before down south (winning in Winton in May) and Sideshow Bruce is a big raw boned type who can be harder to drive.”
The Lazarus Effect was bred by New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Executive Martin Pierson.
He acquired unraced Art Major mare Brook Street and after attempts to get her in foal to Bettor’s Delight they went to Lazarus and were successful straight away.
The resulting foal The Lazarus Effect was then sold for $57,500 at the 2022 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales to Alabar NZ Ltd and was syndicated.
Initially he was going to be trained by Mark Purdon but ended up with Butt on the beach at Woodend after suffering from a few setbacks.
“I take a lot of pride in what The Lazarus Effect has done,” says Pierson.
“When he won on Cup day last year that was the first time I’d bred a winner on Cup day so that was pretty special.”
That was just his second race day appearance and he won by over four lengths. In his 10 career starts he’s never been further back than fourth, and even then he was unlucky in the running and charged home.
“I’m sure he won’t disgrace himself this Friday either,” says Pierson.
The Lazarus Effect is a joint equal second favourite with Walk By Faith at $7.50 with Kingman, who’s vying for a fifth win in a row, at just $1.45 following his monstrous win in the country’s biggest race last Tuesday.
Also in the field is last year’s VELOCITY winner Better Knuckle Up, who was fourth in the New Zealand Cup.
Sideshow Bruce has drawn one the second row, and is at $20 with the TAB.
“Its going to a great race,” says Butt.
To see the field for the Christian Cullen click here
