Northern Raid Paying Dividends For The Lazarus Effect

Northern racing seems to agree with southern raider The Lazarus Effect (NZ) (Lazarus), who continued his winning ways at Alexandra Park last Friday when taking out the Group Two Auckland Co-op Taxis 300-3000 City Of Auckland FFA (2200m).

The Bob Butt-trained and driven gelding was backing up just seven days after his northern debut where he won the Group Three Lincoln Farms Founders Cup FFA (1700m).

The son of Lazarus was given all favours in his second northern outing, getting a soft trip in the trail behind Merlin (NZ) (Art Major) before scooting up the passing lane to score by three-quarters of a length.

“We had a good advantage with the draw (2) but he just keeps stepping up and to run past a horse like Merlin is no easy feat,” Butt said.

While the $1 million The Race (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway next month looms as a big carrot, Butt said The Lazarus Effect will bypass that rich feature in favour of other northern targets.

“I just want to take him home on Tuesday, get him back to the beach where he is happy, and come back for the Taylor Mile, Messenger and Roy Purdon in a month’s time,” Butt said.

“We will try and look after him and he will pay us back in the long run.”

The Lazarus Effect is the first foal out of unraced Art Major mare Brook Street, and was offered through Dunvegan Lodge’s 2022 National Yearling Sale draft at Christchurch where he was purchased for $57,500 by Alabar, who formerly stood his sire Lazarus.

The Lazarus Effect has now won 10 of his 16 starts to date and has earned more than $211,000 in prizemoney.