There's plenty of ketchup in this week's Catch-Up after Lazarus had the trots world watching on Saturday morning our time and the champ did what we knew he could at Hoosier Park, taking out the Dan Patch in style.

We’ve always known how good this fella is, but in coming races his star gets its chance to rise in the Northern Hemisphere – winning Lazarus new fans and Australasian harness racing even more respect after the recent North America performances of Bit of a Legend and Shartin among others.

Meanwhile, back home, the Emma Stewart stable has made a scorching start to its TAB Breeders Crown assault, and Kyvalley Blur continues his winning ways at the top of the trots pops in a year when the squaregaiting community celebrates the return of the Trotting Inter Dominion Championship.

 

Poster perfect

Such strength lays in the three-year-old boys’ TAB Breeders Crown markets that Poster Boy – who has not put one hoof wrong of late – is a $6 third-favourite with the TAB.com.au.

The ultra-impressive son of Somebeachsomewhere was the fastest of the three IRT Breeders Crown Series heat winners in the 3YO male division at Bendigo on Friday night, rating 1:54.7 for Chris Alford to bolster the confidence of owners Lauriston Bloodstock securing back-to-back Victorian futurity successes.

Poster Boy, of course, won the Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series last month.

His TAB.com.au price of $6 the win $1.76 the place for the Breeders Crown final will be whetting many appetites; after all, following a sixth at Menangle on debut Poster Boy has finished first or second at his next 19 straight races – winning 14 of them.

The two horses ahead of Poster Boy on the Race to Royalty betting charts are Ignatius ($2.30), the rising superstar Sydneysider who has won 16 out of 17 career rendezvous, and Poster Boy’s wunderkind stablemate Ride High ($3.80).

 

Stewart heat sweep

Trainer Emma Stewart’s supremacy was crystal clear this week, the champion stable winning every Victorian Breeders Crown heat in the 2YO and 3YO pacing grades across four nights at four different venues.

Two Times Bettor, Swimsuit Edition, Centenario, Hurricane Harley, Pistol Abbey, Speak No Evil, Poster Boy, Ride High and Major Times all saluted for Stewart at Ballarat, Kilmore, Shepparton and Bendigo.

The stable also secured five quinellas, a trifecta and a duet across the nine races.

 

Blur stocks on rise

He was $21 when we mentioned him last week and now he’s $15 after another win. But even that is still arguably value for Kyvalley Blur in the Trotting Inter Dominion Championship markets.

Again the Brent Lilley-trained 10-year-old swamped his rivals late at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night to score a third straight fast-class success.

Driven by Chris Alford, Kyvalley Blur overpowered the comeback champ Keystone Del by 5.7m and Yonkers International Trot bound Sparkling Success in the Group 3 Aldebaran Park Melton Trotters Free for All in 1:58.0 for the 2240m trip.

Lilley trained three winners for the night in town, Our Twentyten taking the Yabby Dam Racing Trot and Islandspecialmajor saluting in the Group 3 Empire Stallions Vicbred Championship Final.

 

Bailey on a roll

Almost seems like a weekly occurrence but Code Bailey won again in Queensland at the weekend – the smart three-year-old’s third win up north in a fortnight.

Trained by Ross Pike and driven by travelling Brad Chisholm, Code Bailey won the Pryde’s EasiFeed Band 5 over 1660m in 1:55.1.

 

Muscle flexed

Muscle Factory had chins wagging across the nation – and Chris Barsby’s classic call certainly helped promote – as the boom Roll With Joe two-year-old won the Albion Park Gold Brisbane Sales Graduate 2YO Final (Group 1) on Saturday night.

Driven by Lauren Tritton – and trained by Shane and Lauren Tritton – Muscle Factory absolutely toyed with his rivals for a 37.9m win in 1:53.1 to collect the feature trophy.

 

Rev it up (to Victoria)

Exciting four-year-old Scooterwillrev continued his winning ways on the Apple Isle yesterday with a fifth straight success for trainer Craig Hayes.

Scooterwillrev is a son of Somebeachsomewhere and proved comfortably too strong for his opposition in the Talbot Hotel Pace for C6+ class over 2090m at Hobart, rating 1:59.2 from the mobile start.

Look for Scooterwillrev to bob up in Victoria in coming weeks for a shot at Race to Royalty riches. He’ll be playing a serious role if he does.

 

Lazarus shines in spotlight

Lazarus captured the trots’ world by storm on Saturday morning Melbourne time with a stunning win in the US$325,000 Dan Patch for trainer Jimmy Takter and reinsman Yannick Gingras.

Click here to read more about the mighty Lazarus via our very own Michael Guerin.

 

Caldow sidelined

Popular reinsman John Caldow is looking at 4-6 weeks on the sidelines after injuring his collarbone last week.

Caldow suffered the injury on Tuesday and the harness racing world is wishing him a speedy recovery.