Fairway's Turf Online

Always Certain scores biggest win

SINGAPORE: Oct 23, 2011

ALWAYS CERTAIN winning comfortably in the Raffles Cup
- SNTC photo

ALWAYS CERTAIN broke through for his first Singapore Group 1 success when he captured the $500,000 Raffles Cup over 1800m at Kranji here today.

Ridden by Vlad Duric, ALWAYS CERTAIN (Not A Single Doubt - Akarana by Akaaber) won by one length from the second favourite CLEAR FOR ACTION. The favourite BETTER THAN EVER ran his worst race, finishing last of 11 runners after being given every chance.

And there could have been a more deserving winner than the Australian five-year-old who recorded his seventh win in 25 starts.

As a juvenile, he twice met his match in MEXICAN ROSE. As a three-year-old, he played second fiddle to BETTER THAN EVER thrice in group races.

ALWAYS CERTAIN finally landed first group win in the Group 3 Committee Prize in September last year and took out the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy last July.

But the Raffles Cup victory was the biggest win yet for horse and trainer Michael Freedman. "It’s been a wonderful day so far,” said the Australian who went on to saddle a quartet of winners.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1	BETTER THAN EVER 2010 HANDICAP
	CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1400M
11	Sir Rumble	Baertschiger	S H Low	1
8	Zinly	Khoo	Y F Leong	2
2	Silver Lining	S Gray	V Duric	3
4	Super Knight	B Dean	T H Koh	4

2	CHEYENNE DANCER 2009 STAKES
	RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1400M
9	Jeram Glory	C Brown	D Beasley	1
13	Super Spur	M Freedman	J Moreira	2
12	Solitaire	Baertschiger	V Duric	3
1	High Fly Marco	B Dean	Aslam	4

3	CHEVRON 2008 HANDICAP
	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1400M
3	Black Jack	Baertschiger	S H Low	1
2	Golden Tree	H K Tan	B Vorster	2
6	Mulan	H Takaoka	Saimee	3
4	Splitsville	D Koh	Woodworth	4

4	LIM'S OBJECTIVE 2007 STAKES
	INITIATION - 1400M
5	Devonshire	S Gray	V Duric	1
12	High Tick	M Freedman	J Moreira	2
9	Willcanya	C Brown	D Beasley	3
10	Iwa Antilia	S Burridge	D Beasley	4

5	LIM'S CLASSIC 2006 HANDICAP
	BENCHMARK 89 - 1400M
2	The Comedian	M Freedman	J Moreira	1
4	Just A Man	Baertschiger	B Vorster	2
5	Won't Stop	Khoo	Woodworth	3
1	U Got It	Khoo	Chavez	4

6	BIG EASY 2005 HANDICAP
	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1400M
11	Sir Fleetwood	L Laxon	B Vorster	1
1	Grand Arrival	M Clements	R Shafiq	2
7	Predictable	S Burridge	R Stewart	3
6	Mr Gee	S Gray	V Duric	4

7	MAYO'S MUSIC 2004 HANDICAP
	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1400M
9	Royal Brat	K C Yeoh	Suhaimi	1
10	Dunfalos	Khoo	Sam	2
11	Eternal Fly	H K Tan	Saifudin	3
13	Jus Beat It	H W Tan	Woodworth	4

8	ZIRNA 2003 STAKES
	PROGRESS - 1200M
9	Mr Big	M Freedman	D Beasley	1
2	Zac Influence	C Brown	J Moreira	2
8	Kallisan	S Gray	Saimee	3
10	El Milagro	Baertschiger	S John	4

9	RAFFLES CUP - 1800M
5	Always Certain	M Freedman	V Duric	1
10	Clear For Action	C Brown	D Beasley	2
4	Speed Baby	S Burridge	J Verenzuela	3
8	Flying Fulton	M Walker	O Placais	4

10	SMART BET 2002 HANDICAP
	BENCHMARK 74 - 1800M
5	Cash Luck	M Freedman	J Moreira	1
4	Alacarte	S Burridge	V Duric	2
7	Maraeti	L Laxon	R Stewart	3
1	Samurai Phoenix	C Brown	Saimee	4

11	TAPILDO 2011 HANDICAP
	CLASS 4 - 1200M
14	Sarong	K C Yeoh	Suhaimi	1
1	Quality Stars	S Burridge	V Duric	2
8	Doremi La	M Yusof	R Stewart	3
2	Seligi	Baertschiger	S H Low	4