Better Than Ever Takes Fourth Kranji Mile for Laxon

Capping off a highly successful weekend for New Zealand Bloodstock graduates, Better Than Ever made a brilliant return to the winners circle in the Sgp-1 Kranji Mile (1600m) last night.

Trained by Laurie Laxon, Better Than Ever (French Deputy x Songfest) came into the Singapore feature under pressure to perform in the first leg of Singapore's Triple Crown, with his last five starts seeing him take three second placings but no victories.

A winner of the Kranji Mile last year where he went into the race unbeaten in 10 starts, Better Than Ever came into Sunday's feature with a winning trial under his belt, and settled sixth in the running for jockey Saimee Jumaat.

In the final stages, Ready to Run graduate Flying Fulton, who won the Sgp-3 Committee's Prize in his last start, looked to have the race won for Mark Walker before he was swamped by the late finishers, which were headed by Better Than Ever. The five-year-old winning the Sgp-1 Kranji Mile by a head from Clear For Action.

Better Than Ever takes back to back wins in the Sgp-1 Kranji Mile. Photo courtesy of the STC

The win was the fourth consecutive Kranji Mile victory for kiwi trainer Laurie Laxon who had faith in his mount coming into the big race.

"It was a good gutsy win today," said Laxon. "A lot like last year. He'll go to the Raffles Cup and he showed today the 1800m won't be any problem for him.

"I was never really concerned that he had appeared to lose form. To my mind he had still been running well.

"He finished second in the three legs of the Four-Year-Old Challenge, so he hadn't been racing all that badly. He's a sound horse and ideally suited under the weight-for-age conditions and it's great to have him back in winning form again."

Bred by Graham and Kylie Bax, Better Than Ever was purchased by his trainer Laurie Laxon from Blandford Lodge at the 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $80,000. He is raced by prominent owner Tang Weng Fei and has won 15 of his 21 starts for over S$2.4 million.

Taking third position was the Laxon trained warhorse Waikato (NZ) (Pins x Skywalker Wilkes) for Joe Moreira. Now an eight-year-old, he has been a wonderful campaigner for New Zealand winning 17 of his 57 starts for over S$2.6 million.