Melbourne Cup Ownership Led to Quarter Century of Joy
14-12-2011
BACK in the early 1980s Russ Lazarus, a former owner of Sydney restaurants, including one in the heart of the city that was a popular gathering place for prominent identities, and later developer of a spelling farm for humans at Kurrajong Heights in the Blue Mountains, cracked the racing lottery when he bought a share for a small outlay in a potential stayer.
Named Kensei and in the hands of veteran Randwick trainer Les Bridge, the Blarney Kiss gelding went on to win nine races for his six owners, capped by one of the greatest thrills in racing, the Melbourne Cup (in1987). In addition, Kensei was successful in the Castlemaine Gold Cup (Eagle Farm) and Grafton Cup, runner up in the AJC Metropolitan and Newcastle Cup and third in the AJC Summer Cup, NSW Tattersall’s Club Cup, Chelmsford Stakes and STC George Ryder Stakes.
The success of Kensei sparked tremendous enthusiasm in Russ Lazarus for breeding and racing which has led to a quarter of a century of enjoyment and a change of lifestyle which brought benefits to the community as well as to his family. It has seen him become so involved, he served a lengthy term on the NSW Breeders committee, committing much to its progress, established the family’s own horse stud, Sutton Farm, at Middlebrook, Scone and, on taking up residence on the farm, become a prominent owner in Hunter and north western NSW racing with horses they bred and raced with their names carrying the preflix Sutton and acquired for the family the Scone newsagency. Sutton Farm became the retirement home until his death of Kensei.
The Lazarus input into local racing was demonstrated again last week by the maiden win at Muswellbrook on the Monday of Sutton Chilli, a 3-year-old filly prepared on the home track by Mack Griffith, and then on Saturday by the win of the Luke Griffith (Scone) trained 4-year-old gelding Sutton Brave (his fourth win) at the Scone meeting. Luke is a brother to Mack and between them they have won many races for Lazarus in recent years, other successful horses including Sutton Princess (eight wins, one in Sydney and Wellington Boot), Sutton Review (won Sydney and took Listed Gainsborough at Tamworth), Sutton Friend (won Doomben) and Sutton Miss (six wins, including one in Brisbane and another at Newcastle). Last week’s two Sutton winners and Sutton Princess are by the Danehill sire Olympus, while Sutton Review, Sutton Friend (dam of Sutton Chilli) and Sutton Miss are by Danehill’s imported close relation Youthful Legs. Lazarus is a managing shareholder in the ownership of these sires, both resident at Erin Park stud, Tamworth.
He is also a leader in the syndicate that imported the good sire Beautiful Crown, one that stands at Nathan Tinkler’s Patinack Farm stud, Sandy Hollow, Hunter Valley. The win of Sutton Brave at Scone on Saturday was an hors d’euvre for a social function that evening in the prestigious new club room in the complex at the Scone racecourse put on by the Russ Lazarus family and attended by about 160 friends. Embracing pre dinner drinks, dinner and entertainment, it was a gesture from Russ Lazarus to thank the gathering for their support for the Lazarus family over the past thirty years and being welcomed and supported in Scone.
The night was also thanks to community support groups and to congratulate the Scone Race Club executive for the new function centre and fabulous May racing carnival. Although the invitation did not mention it, the function was an opportunity also to celebrate Russ Lazarus’s pending entry into the ranks of distinguished gentlemen, and ladies, who have reached eighty years of age. During the evening, auction of memorabilia, including a Phar Lap painting and books on Bart Cummings signed by this Hall of Fame trainer, and a raffle along with donations raised $22,000 for equipment for Strathearn Village, a resident age care centre at Scone.
Another highlight was a presentation by Russ Lazarus to longtime friend John Clift of a framed photograph of Gunsynd. Now 87 and retired this year as president of the Tamworth Jockey Club, John Clift bred Gunsynd, a hero of Australian racing when he won 29 times in the early 1970s, on his The Dip near Breeza, Liverpool Plains. He later moved to Kia Ora stud, Scone, home during a brief stud career of Gunsynd.
Courtesy of Brian Russell Bloodstock Media Services
