Champion harness racing pacer Lazarus has won the (G2) $50,000 Inkwise Canterbury Classic at Addington tonight, and in the process reclaimed his status as New Zealand Trotting Cup favourite with the TAB bookmakers. 

Lazarus who was only in to the field to get the race off the ground, began well for driver Mark Purdon and trailed for most of the race, before zipping up the passing lane to grab the leader Have Faith In Me with 50m to go.

The winner paced the the 2600m stand in 3-19.3 with a final 800m in a quick 55.3 and 400m in 26.1 seconds. 

Heaven Rocks who was expected to be more forward than Lazarus and a better chance tonight, never paced well at any stage and dropped out to finish last of the five horse field.

Driver Natalie Rasmussen said, "early indications by the vet, was that Heavens Rock had suffered a fractured pastern, but they would be investigating further after the horse had cooled down".

Earlier in the night Bordeaux won the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup for Flaxton (North Canterbury) trainer Philip Iggo. 

Bordeaux was taken to the front by driver Dexter Dunn after 600m and he led for the rest of the race, before holding off the strong finish of Great Things Happen and Gavin Smith, to win by a narrow margin.

Dexter drove a double for the night when Pat's Delight surged to an impressive win in the 2nd NRM Sires Stakes Heat. 

Pat's Delight rated 1-56.0 when defeating a strong field, with a closing 800m in 55.7 and 400m in 27.7

Lazarus narrowly winning the (G2) $50,000 Inkwise Canterbury Classic

Harnesslink Media