Marketplace faces stern challenge from The Lazarus Effect

Rival trainer Bob Butt admits Marketplace may be the best pacer in today’s NZB Airfreight Flying Stakes at Ashburton but that doesn’t mean he is ready to concede defeat with The Lazarus Effect.

So Butt will be happy to use The Lazarus Effect’s outstanding standing start manners to get in front of the hot favourite and stay there in what is one of the key form pointers to the Go Media NZ Trotting Cup.

The NZ Cup is just 15 days away and Marketplace is by far the most favoured of the Kiwis given any chance of upsetting Australian champion Leap To Fame at Addington on November 10.

“I think Marketplace is the best of the pacers we have over here at the moment,” admits Butt.

“But there isn’t a lot in it and I think a lot of horses who raced in the Canterbury Classic last start will improve with that run under their belts.

“I know my fella will. He just peaked the last 50m but will be a lot fitter for Monday but so too will Marketplace and It’s Tough.”

The Canterbury Classic was won in no-excuse fashion by outsider Bettors Anvil who is also in today’s 2400m standing start and must have some sort of winning chance but most of the market will centre around the big three.

The south’s other pacing leading light Republican Party will skip today’s race and head to Kaikoura next Monday.

Butt has been happy to take a trail with The Lazarus Effect in recent runs after the son of the great Lazarus goofed around in front when winning his comeback race in August but with Ashburton being such a high speed track he is adamant it would be happy to stay in front today.

“If he can step fast and lead and gets an easy enough time early I think now he is a few runs into a campaign he could stay in front as good horses are so hard to run down at Ashburton,” explains Butt.

“I have a lot of respect for Marketplace and realise he will improve heaps off that last start run too so he is the one to beat.”

Marketplace is enormously talented but faces the new challenge of being drawn low on a full front line, with can prove claustrophobic for some horses, but it isn’t a big field so he should be aided by the eight starters not being asked to stand for too long.

If Marketplace gets everything right and is able to waltz to the front then his $1.75 will be a fair price but with the step and run nature of the Flying Stakes his odds seem a little skinny.

One way or the other, the local pecking order for the New Zealand Cup will look clearer after today’s Group 2.

Today’s massive programme boasted some extremely deep fields and with 55 second last 800m sectionals possible in most races it could be very difficult for those attempting to come from back in the field.

One of Butt’s drives who won’t be doing that is impressive debut winner Paramount Royalty (R1, No.6) who meets a weaker field than the one he beat at Addington last start.

“He was really good that night, even though they went slow middle sectionals, but he is still very much on the way up so he will be hard to beat.”

Butt also partners the Paul Nairn-trained Kawatiri Trev in a deep Hambletonian Trot while he has a big opinion his own stable rep Lean On Me (R8, No.4) who has only her second start in a Dunstan Sires’ Stakes heat.

“She was really good on debut pushing I’m The Boss close and I reckon she will go well on Monday.”

 

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Guerin for Harness Racing New Zealand