16th Group One winner for Arrowfield Stud’s pensioned sire Not A Single Doubt.
Australian-bred Stronger (5 h ex Star Pupil by Starcraft) held off the challenge of Sky Field (Deep Field) in Sunday's Centenary Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) at Sea Tin to become the 16th Group One winner for Arrowfield Stud's pensioned sire Not A Single Doubt (Redoute's Choice).
The victory provided trainer Douglas White with his first at the highest level.
"I've had numerous amount (of G1) wins as a jockey, so to get the first one on the board as a trainer is great. I've been stiff a few times, but it's a good feeling," said Whyte, who accumulated more than 20 major victories as a jockey.
Stronger finished fifth in the Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) at Sha Tin on 12 December but suffered severe interference on the home turn.
"Stronger came out of that International run significantly injured. He was lucky to get away with the (leg) injuries that he had, but he pulled through and we sent him up to Conghua for a while and brought him back and trialled him and got his confidence back," Whyte continued.
"Since that trial, he hasn't put a foot wrong.
"He's been a bit unlucky, he's been a bridesmaid a few times, he's had a few excuses but today everything went his way and he can do something like that when he gets the run he got today.
"His trial last week he indicated he would arrive in great shape but, I tell you, today was the longest 400 metres of my life so far. The winning move was putting him to sleep and coming out wide and the second horse (Sky Field) had to come around us and sort of push us along.
"Look, he was vulnerable but he dug deep and that's all that matters. It was a very long 400 metres."
Stronger was bought for $1.05 million by James Harron Bloodstock at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when offered by Arrowfield Stud. He is one of three winners and the only stakes winner, from as many runners, out of winning mare Star Pupil (Starcraft).
Stronger's second dam is multiple Listed winner Aint's Seen Nothin' (Nothin' Leica Dane) who produced seven winners including the stakes winning trio Bachman (All American), Step-up (Hussonet) and Ain'tnofallenstar (Starcraft).
Winner of the Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) in Australia, Stronger took his record to six wins and ten placings in 31 career starts.
Not A Single Doubt's final crop are yearlings in 2022. He finished the recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale as the leading sire by average with 12 yearlings having sold for $6,905,000 at an average of $575,417.
