Kiwi star Lazarus is a short-priced favourite to extend his impeccable Tabcorp Park Melton record on Saturday night in the A$500,000 A G Hunter Cup.

The son of Bettor’s Delight, unbeaten in three starts at the venue, has drawn perfectly at barrier three for the feature.

Commenting at the barrier draw function, co-trainer Mark Purdon said he would be comfortable coming off the mobile arm and looking for the lead with his star pacer.

“I think you can use him off the gate as he’s capable of doing it at both ends,” he said.

His main adversary for the lead will be former New Zealander Tiger Tara, who had a couple of good battles with Lazarus in the Perth Inter Dominion series before Christmas, even toppling him once he had the front at Bunbury.

Lazarus reversed the result over the longer distance of the final, but Tiger Tara’s trainer, Kevin Pizzuto, said they won’t die wondering this week.

“He has the speed to hold anyone out early.

“This race is 2700m and that suits him.

“He’s strong and he got out-sprinted in the Inter Dominion, but that’s not the case this time.

“We’re going to try and out-stay them from that draw.”

After sitting at $2.10 pre-draw, Lazarus opened at $1.40 once the dust had settled, quickly moving in to $1.30.

His stablemate, Heaven Rocks, is the second elect at $5.50 after drawing the second line.

Last week’s Great Southern Star runner-up, Temporale, has again drawn the inside of the second row, this time in Saturday night’s A$50,000 V L Dullard Trotters Cup.

Fellow Kiwi Hey Yo, third last week, has drawn gate two, while Speeding Spur is missing from the field after disappointing last week.