Better Than Ever Eyeing Dubai Trip

December 21, 2010 - by Lawrence · Filed Under Singapore Racing News

Better Than Ever is hitting the race track once again in hopes of making a trip to Dubai by March 2011. The race horse that is trained by Laurie Laxon is shaking off the rust after a three-week lay-off. His last race is a 12th place finish behind Risky Business in the 2200-metre, Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup on the 14th of November.

His setback on the Singapore Gold Cup is Better Than Ever’s first loss in 13 career starts and he has accumulated $1.6 million worth of prize money. Laxon said that French Deputy’s son is preparing for the 1400-metre, Group 3 Three Rings Trophy on the 20th of February, 2011. The race has a prize pool of $320,000 and this will be Laxon’s measuring stick if they will make the trip to Dubai in March.

Laxon added that a trip to Dubai would be no use if they do not win the Three Rings Trophy. If the trip to Dubai pushes through, Laxon is gunning two races for Better Than Ever at Dubai before making their way back to Singapore. Laxon would want his star galloper to participate in the 1600-metre, Group 2 Zabeel Mile on the 10th of March and this race has a prize pool of $250,000.

However, Laxon’s main goal is to participate in the 1800-metre, Group 1 Dubai Duty Free on the 26th of March, 2011 and this race has a whopping prize purse of $5 million. After his disappointing run at the Singapore Gold Cup, Better Than Ever was examined and it was found out that there was some mucus in his throat which can be cause by something that the horse got in the wet race circuit.

Now, Better Than Ever has been cleared from the mucus and he aims to display his dominance once again. With three Group 1 victories under his name, Better than Ever and Laxon is optimistic for the coming year.
Meanwhile, three Australian jockeys have renewed their contracts with the Singapore Turf Club. Danny Beasley and john Powell were given twelve-month contracts while Ronnie Stewart was given a six-month contract. In the Singapore jockey premiership, Beasley is at fourth spot with 68 winners while Powell is in seventh with 47 victories. Stewart is in eighth with 40 winners under his name.

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