Lazarus colt ‘streets’ them in $150,000 Group One Final

Australian harness racing may have unveiled a future star at yesterday’s (Oct 29.) NSW Breeders Challenge day meeting at Tabcorp Park Menangle in the form of Nathan Street, after the son of Lazarus produced the nation’s second fastest mile ever recorded by a male juvenile pacer.

After a dominant performance in his semi-final a fortnight ago where he posted a bruising 1:52.0 mile rate from the top, the money was on for Nathan Street to repeat the dose in the $150,000 G1 Final, and he didn’t disappoint the punters in the colours made famous by former star pacer, Sushi Sushi.

Partnered by ex-pat Kiwi, Jack Trainor, Nathan Street was given a beautiful trip in transit, securing the one-one early on the back of Royal Cruiser who was content sitting outside and applying pressure to the punters second elect, War Dan Buddy.

The Freddy Taiba trained colt who looks a spitting image of his sire was jogging and despite hanging badly in the run home, held too many guns for his rivals, stopping the clock in a scorching 1:50.5 for the mile, just .2 seconds outside of the national 2YO male record set by Bar Room Banta on the same track three years ago.

“We had a bit of luck go our way, which really helped,” said Trainor on returning to the enclosure.

“There was a bit going on with gallopers and things but to be fair, my guy wasn’t pacing all that well either. Royal Cruiser got in front of me and I was left in a pretty tricky spot.

“My bloke was scrambling. Although he had the perfect trip, he was probably as big a handful as he’s ever been today. But credit to Freddy, the horse knew did what he had to do [to win],” he said.

Nathan Street was a $60,000 yearling sales purchase the 2022 APG Sale in Sydney, and has lived up to his head turning looks as the winner of $123,359 in stakes with four wins from just seven starts this campaign.

It was the showy black’s third win on the Menangle track from just four starts with his only blemish coming back in September when galloping behind the mobile in his first look.

The G1 triumph of Nathan Street also represented Lazarus’ first Australasian G1 winner as a sire, a feat Lazarus was able to achieve himself as G1 winner of the 2YO Emerald before going on to achieve greatness as the best New Zealand bred pacer produced since Christian Cullen.

With almost 50% of his first Australian crop of 40 having started as juveniles, Lazarus is a comfortable leader of the first crop sires with 13 winners for $424,906 in stakes. The dollars earnt on the season by his progeny is good enough for seventh on the 2YO money list, with 5th place a realistic prospect given only $11,000 separates the 5th and 7th placed sires.

NATHAN STREET REPLAY

Lazarus won’t have the virtue of relying on his first G1 winner for further success however with Trainor indicating post-race that connections are likely to tip him out for the remainder of the season with an eye to bolstering his potential as a sophomore.

“I think he will now go for a well-deserved break and when he comes back we’ll have a pretty serious three-year-old,” said Trainor.

“He’d come here after a couple of starts which included a Melton win.

“And I have to say, it’s been great having Freddy here. He’s a great person and we’ve had some great times. Hopefully this horse winning has paid us back,” he said.

For complete race results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink