Better Than Ever passes stiffest test yet

SINGAPORE:  Oct 3, 2010
 
BETTER THAN EVER nails WAIKATO (partly-hidden) to win the
Panasonic Kranji Mile - SNTC photo

Sheer class and tenacity enabled BETTER THAN EVER to stretch his unbeaten record to 11 wins in the S$500,000 Panasonic Kranji Mile over 1600m at Kranji here today.

Held up for a run behind WAIKATO, who had taken the lead at the top of the straight, and having to break strides at the 300m, the four-year-old rallied in the final 100m when he managed to get clear and nailed his stablemate by a neck.

GHOZI, who also looked a possibility at the 200m, finished third in the Singapore Group 1 event.

For trainer Laurie Laxon, it was the 'perfect' result although he is the sole owner of WAIKATO.

"I honestly didn’t know how to feel when WAIKATO looked the winner and Better Than Ever could lose,” said Laxon. "I would have felt absolutely embarrassed if my own horse was the one to have made BETTER THAN EVER taste his first defeat."

Kranji Mile is the first leg of the Singapore 'triple crown' and Laxon said BETTER THAN EVER is right on course for the second leg, the RAFFLES CUP, on Oct 24. Both races are run at weight-for-age.

But Laxon has ruled BETTER THAN EVER out of the final leg, the Singapore Gold Cup next month which is a handicap race.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1

 PANASONIC I-PRO SMARTHD CAMERAS STAKES
  CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1200M      

7

 Prince Pareto J Meagher S Cormack

1

6

 Rising Expectation B Dean Soo

2

1

 Reel Schmick S Burridge M Firdaus

3

10

 So Solid H K Tan Au

4

2

 PANASONIC LASER MULTI-FUNCTION PRINTER STAKES
  RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1400M  

2

 Fuku Ichiban M Yusof J Moreira

1

7

 Gold Streak S Chua N Cunha

2

4

 Biggest Chief M Freedman Saimee

3

9

 Giggs Boson J Meagher Soo

4

3

 PANASONIC BROADCAST STAKES
  KRANJI STAKES C - 1200M  

3

 Mr Raffles S Burridge V Duric

1

6

 So Makestic C Brown J Powell

2

12

 Wallinger M Freedman D Beasley

3

2

 Mooring M Freedman M Fradaus

4

4

 Collect The Cash J Meagher S Cormack

4
  *Deadheat for 4th      

4

 PANASONIC DECT PHONE STAKES
  INITIATION - 1200M      

13

 Ace Alarde M Freedman D Beasley

1

4

 Dr Grigoros Z L Mok A Fiezan

2

6

 Fly Freely M Freedman V Duric

3

9

 My Race D Koh K K Ng

4

5

 PANASONIC PROFESSIONAL PLASMA DISPLAY STAKES
  NOVICE - 1200M      

9

 Simply The Best D Koh Woodworth

1

8

 Moonlite Shower Baertschiger Chavez

2

3

 That'stheone B Dean Aslam

3

7

 Ace Allotroped M Freedman D Beasley

4

6

 PANASONIC IP TELEPHONY STAKES
  CLASS 4 - 1600M      

10

 Fat King H K Tan M Yap

1

13

 My Friend Jo Baertschiger Chavez

2

4

 Trafalgar Legacy B Marcus S Cormack

3

12

 Seacrest L Laxon M Gallagher

4

7

 PANASONIC LED STAKES
  KRANJI STAKES C - 2000M  

1

 Maurice Utrillo P Shaw B Vorster

1

2

 Esteem Power S Burridge V Duric

2

6

 Magic Haul C Brown J Powell

3

4

 Tobias S Burridge M Firdaus

4

8

 PANASONIC SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL STAKES
  BENCHMARK 97 - 1200M      

8

 Over The Rainbow B Dean Saimee

1

5

 Villain J Meagher R Stewart

2

4

 Happy Everybody S Burridge M Firdaus

3

7

 My Son P Shaw B Vorster

4

9

 PANASONIC KRANJI MILE - 1600M

12

 Better Than Ever L Laxon Saimee

1

1

 Waikato L Laxon V Duric

2

4

 Ghozi O'Hara S Cormack

3

7

 Intercept L Laxon J Moreira

4

10

 PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK STAKES
  CLASS 3 - 1400M      

10

 Absolute Power D Koh Zaki

1

4

 Jamal Malik P Shaw B Vorster

2

9

 Afriend Baertschiger S H Low

3

2

 Merchant C Brown J Powell

4

11

 PANASONIC ELITE PANABOARD STAKES
  CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1200M  

1

 Ace Armando M Freedman D Beasley

1

10

 God Of Speed Khoo B Vorster

2

13

 Incredible Son Z L Mok Sam

3

2

 Another Sunday B Dean Aslam

4