Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Seven-year-old Victorian-bred gelding Lamandier revived memories of superstar pacer Lazarus when Emily Suvaljko drove him to victory in the $21,000 Allwood Stud Devoted To Breeding Excellence Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Lamandier, trained by Michael Young, is related to the mighty Lazarus, who was retired with earnings of $4,125,988 from 37 wins and 12 placings from 51 starts, with one of the many highlights of his glittering career being his win over Chicago Bull in the Interdominion Championship final at Gloucester Park in December 2017.
Lamandier is the second foal out of Art Major mare Champagne Dreams, who was a moderate performer who retired with a record of ten wins and 13 placings from 45 starts. Champagne Dreams is a half-brother to Lazarus.
While Lamandier will never go anywhere near reaching the heights of Lazarus, he is proving a profitable venture for his owners, having earned $166,773 from 16 wins and 28 placings from 97 starts.
Lamandier was a $8.70 chance on Friday night in an event in which Young also prepared Illawong Mustang ($2.70) and Ideal Tomado ($14).
He began from barrier six and Suvaljko was content to race him in seventh place, one-out and two-back. Secret Reaction ($14) led early before Illawong Mustang dashed to the front after 600m, leaving the $1.90 favourite Insta Gator in the breeze.
Insta Gator got to the front 270m from home before Lamandier surged home, out four wide, to take the lead in the final few strides to win by a half-length from $23 chance Galaxy Warrior, who had enjoyed a perfect sit in the one-out, one-back position.
Insta Gator finished third, with Illawong Mustang in fourth place and Ideal Tomado finishing solidly, out wide, into sixth place.
“I thought that Illawong Mustang would win, because I expected him to get an easy lead from Secret Reaction,” said Young. “But that didn’t eventuate.
“Lamandier is an honest horse who gives his connections a bit of joy and has earned plenty of money since he got here. His win didn’t surprise me after the tempo of the race. He loves that style of racing, and he is a good sit-sprinter who also goes good when he leads.”