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Former champion galloper Better Than Ever entered quarantine Thursday as he prepares to head back to New Zealand.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
The Champion Three and Four-Year-Old of his generation, Better Than Ever hasn’t raced since suffering a bleeding attack when finishing at the tail of the field in the Punter’s Way 35th Anniversary Cup over 1400m on May 6.
The son of French Deputy was being prepared for a tilt at the Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup over 2000m on May 20.
Better Than Ever, prepared by Laurie Laxon and owned by Jupiter Stable, won 16 of his 26 starts (14 of them for jockey Saimee Jumaat) and more than $2.5 million in prizemoney in Singapore and heads to New Zealand where he will join the stables of Jason Bridgman.
He won his first 12 races straight before a top weight of 60kg, a wet track and the 2200m journey of the Longines Singapore Gold Cup of 2010 conspired against him.
Included in his 12 straight victories were the three legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge – the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic and the Group 1 Singapore Guineas in 2010.
He returned later in the year to claim the opening two legs of the Singapore Triple Crown Series – the Group 1 Panasonic Kranji Mile and the Group 1 Raffles Cup – before tasting defeat in the Singapore Gold Cup.
Laxon said that it was a pleasure to train Better Than Ever although in the early days he didn’t realise the gelding’s potential.
“He had a great physique and was a great horse to train,” said Laxon.
“In the early days we had to treat him with kid gloves a bit. In his very first trial we put on Aslam (Erasmus) and he came out and won by six lengths and ran good time.
“That shocked us a bit because we had Saimee ride another one and we thought he was pretty smart.
“This horse went on to be something special. He was certainly the best horse that I have trained up here in Singapore and sadly the ride is over.
“It was good while it lasted though.”
Better Than Ever failed to reach his reserve of NZ$90,000 at the Yearling Sales in 2008 and Laxon saw him afterwards and was quite taken with the yearling.
“He wouldn’t walk properly,” said Laxon. “He wanted to jig-jog about but there were quite a few things that I liked about him.
“I offered up NZ$80,000 for him and he was my last purchase at the sale.
“The rest they say is history.”
Laxon said Better Than Ever can still be competitive down in New Zealand and believes the six-year-old could pick up a Group 1 race for his new trainer.
“If they can get him right down there I think he could pick up a nice race or two,” said Laxon.
“The only thing is he needs a relatively firm track to show his best which could be a bit of a worry.”
Joining Better Than Ever on the flight to New Zealand will be other Laxon-trained gallopers Cape Treasure and Gypsy Rose Lee who are both destined for the breeding barn.
Cape Treasure, part-owned by Laxon, hasn’t raced since September last year and was the winner of three of her 15 starts in Singapore and will be sent to Darci Brahma in the upcoming breeding season.
“She’s got a nice US pedigree and Darci Brahma is starting to get some nice horses,” said Laxon.
“Hopefully she will throw a nice foal and she can make it as a broodmare.”
Meanwhile Laxon will saddle two runners in the feature race on Friday night – the $150,000 Causeway Classic Stakes over 1800m on the Polytrack.
Martial Art will have the services of Danny Beasley while one of the likely favourites Dujardin will be ridden by Joao Moreira.
Both gallopers are being set for the Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup on November 14.
Dujardin hasn’t raced since finishing fifth behind runaway Emirates Singapore Derby winner Chase Me on July 15.
“We’ve given him a freshen up and he’s coming along well,” said Laxon. “He’s a winner on the Polytrack before and it looks a good race for him under the conditions.
“He’s being set for the Gold Cup in November as he’s an out and out stayer.”
Martial Art finished third in last year’s Gold Cup behind El Dorado but has struggled in two runs following a break away from racing.
“He’s coming along slowly,” said Laxon. “He ran third in the Gold Cup last year and he’s heading in that direction again.
“It’s been a bit difficult finding the right race for him, but I think he should be fitter this time around and he’s going to appreciate the extra ground.”
Martial Art hasn’t raced since finishing more than 27 lengths behind Better Life in a 1600m Open Benchmark 89 Stakes on July 15.