The accolades continue to flow for Singapore superstar and Karaka graduate Better Than Ever when he was crowned Singapore's 2011 Champion Miler at the Singapore Turf Club's Horse of the Year Awards.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Trained by champion New Zealand trainer Laurie Laxon, Better Than Ever (French Deputy x Songfest) had a highly successful 2011 season on the Singapore track winning the Sgp-3 Three Rings Trophy (1400m), Sgp-3 Poly Track Mile (1600m) and taking his second victory in the Sgp-1 Kranji Mile (1600m) in October.
In the Singapore season that runs 1 January to 31 December, Better Than Ever also recorded three second placings in a row at black type level earlier in the year, in the Sgp-2 Stewards' Cup (1400m), the Sgp-1 Patron's Bowl (1600m), and the Sgp-1 Singapore Derby (2000m) behind the New Zealand bred winner Clint (Casual Lies).
Unbeaten in his first 12 starts in Singapore from August 2009 to October 2010, Better Than Ever won eight consecutive stakes races including his first victory in the Sgp-1 Kranji Mile (1600m) and the Sgp-1 Raffles Cup (1800m). His performances saw him crowned Singapore's Champion Four-Year-Old at last year's awards.
Bred by Graham and Kylie Bax at their Blandford Lodge in Matamata, Better Than Ever was purchased by Laurie Laxon at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $80,000.
"He has been a top performer in Singapore," said Graham Bax. "He has a very impressive record and it has been a thrill for us to breed a horse of his class.
"We sent the mare over to French Deputy and she ended up foaling him (Better Than Ever) in Australia but he was raised and sold in New Zealand.
"We are currently racing a half-sister to Better Than Ever by Savabeel called Savasong who ran a very good second at Taranaki on the weekend in the New Zealand Oaks Prelude.
"She is trained by Graeme & Debbie Rogerson who have a good opinion of her and she will be lining up in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes at Hawke's Bay next weekend."
Better Than Ever's impressive record stands at 22 starts, 15 wins, three placings and over $1.8 million in stakes. His dam Songfest produced a filly by Medaglia d'Oro in 2011.
