Lazarus colt chases back-to-back Breeders Challenge

In-form Victorian harness racing trainer Freddy Taiba will hit the highway tomorrow afternoon (Sept 27), chasing more big NSW spoils with his exciting three-year-old colt Nathan Street, a son of former superstar pacer and highly regarded Kiwi sire Lazarus.

Nathan Street will contest round one of the NSW Breeders Challenge for 3yo colts and geldings – a series he stamped his authority on as a 2yo last season with a hat-trick of victories, culminating in the $150,000 final.

Purchased for $60,000 at the 2022 APG yearling sales in Sydney, the youngster is raced by Taiba in partnership with the Teixeira’s of Sydney. Nathan Street has won $152,000 with six wins and one placing from just 15 starts.

“He hasn’t raced since March, but I’ve been really happy with his work since he’s come back in,” Taiba said.

“I’ve taken him to a couple of trials including a win at Kilmore and then a fourth last week at Melton against free-for-all horses. We were up against two of Emma Stewart’s in Beyond Delight and Act Now, as well as Bulletproof Boy. They went 1.53.8 with a last half of 55 secs and we got beaten a few metres,” he said.

Nathan Street is the sole runner on the back row in tomorrow night’s Breeders Challenge opening round at Wagga Wagga (timed to be run at 8.20pm) with another heat at Newcastle on Saturday night (Sept 28). Two other Victorians in Geoff Webster (Doug’s Flame) and Emma Stewart (War Dan Buddy) are pitted against Nathan Street.

There are fillies’ divisions also at both venues, with Webster (Elusive) and Stewart (Renewal) sure to be prominent at Wagga. A second round of heats will be held at Menangle on Oct 8, then semi-finals on Oct 19 and the major G1 finals a week later.

Nathan Street was dominant in the Breeders Crown final last season, posting a brilliant 1.50-5 mile rate, which was just .2 seconds outside of the national 2yo male record set by Bar Room Banta at the track four years previous. War Dan Buddy filled second placing.

Taiba said he’d previously raced at Wagga’s Riverina Paceway.

“I’ve been there a few times and had some success – hopefully I’m not far off again,” he said.

Lazarus, who stands at Nevele R Stud for Alabar in New Zealand, is acknowledged as possibly that country’s greatest-ever standardbred.  He won 15 Group races in Australasia, including two NZ Cups, an Inter Dominion, the Hunter and Victoria Cups, as well as North American features, the Dan Patch and the Hoosier Pacing Derby.

Lazarus has 27 individual Australian-bred winners from just 39 starters.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink