Past Diamond Creek Farm Classic Winner- Lazarus

Bruce Stewart Contributor

When the field lined up for the first edition of the Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic at Ascot Park in 2015 not many would have known that two of the horses in the field would become harness racing millionaires.

Favourite Lazarus (Bettor’s Delight) in the hands on Tim Williams won the inaugural running of the juvenile feature by two and a half lengths from Three Ways, while second favourite Chicago Bull (Bettor’s Delight) finished fifth.

We all know Lazarus became a champion, winning thirty seven races across New Zealand, Australia and North America and ultimately earning $4,423,391. in stakes.

Chicago Bull headed to West Australia where he carved a stellar career, winning forty races and banking $1,820,709. Great to look back and see that in its first year the Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic dished up two millionaire pacers.

Rollston trainer Mark Purdon has won five of the nine editions with Lazarus (2015), A Bettor Act (2018), Virgil (2019), Don’t Stop Dreaming (2022) and Vessem (2023).

The race record of 2-39.6 is held by the 2021 winner You’re So Fine.

When the race commenced in 2015 the stake was $22,000 but it has quickly grown thanks to the support of Diamond Creek Farm and Southern Bred Southern Reared. In 2017 it was stake was raised to $38,000 and it received Group Two status. In 2022 it radically rose to $60,000 making it the richest two year old race in the province at that time.

Excitingly this year for the first time the Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic will be worth $110,000 and carry Group One status.

This Sunday the Invercargill HRC host Diamonds Day at Ascot with a host of feature race including the $110,000 Group One Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic, the $60,000 Group Two Macca Lodge/Nevele R Southern Oaks, the $60,000 Group Two Alabar Supremacy Stakes and the $40,000 Regent Car Court Southern Country Cups Final.

A truly spectacular day of racing which gets underway at 12 noon.