Te Akau: Truly Better Than Ever

Better than Ever (6 g Better than Ever - Songfest, by Unbridled's Song) improved on his last start third to Ocean Park (Thorn Park) in the weight-for-age NZ Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie, when taking out the Lawnmaster Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr. 2, 2000m) on Easter Saturday at Awapuni.

Sent forward by rider Hayden Tinsley on a competitive early tempo, Better than Ever was sweet in his action before being let slide to lead at the 700 metres and travelling ‘peaches and cream' with a three-length advantage on straightening he had his rivals beaten mid-stretch. Ransomed (Handsome Ransom) made a spirited late bid for second, with a margin to third placed Spiro (Pyrus), in a solid time of 2:02.43 for the 2000 metres.

The former Singaporean champion was recording his seventeenth win from thirty-one starts and has amassed earnings of $3.1 million.

“That was just a terrific result,” said Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman. “He'd been knocking hard on the door going great races and it's great for the horse himself to claim a prestigious race coming back to his homeland after six years abroad. To come back to New Zealand and prove competitive shows the champion qualities he has. He really opened up on them.

“It was proud day. We are very proud of the horse and I'm sure the people of Singapore are proud of him too,” said Bridgman.

“When you let him go, he just quickens to top speed so fast. He has a scintillating turn of foot at top. Hayden (Tinsley) said the horse had never felt better and at the 600 metres he still had a couple of gears up his sleeve. He was just tugging enough to say he wanted to run, so Hayden let him slide - let him enjoy it a bit.

Better than Ever is owned by Mr Tang Weng Fei, who as a loyal owner with Te Akau has also achieved success with Champion Two-Year-Old Warhorse (General Nediym) and the talented juvenile Catalonia (Commands).

In attendance for the victory, Te Akau principal David Ellis was thrilled with the win.

“Isn't he a magnificent horse?” said Ellis. “To have the problems that he's got, it's all credit to Jason (Bridgman) and isn't it lucky at Te Akau that we are one of the few stables now that has nice big paddocks for the horses, which this horse in particular just loves. It's just such a help for them to get their heads down eating good grass.

“Better than Ever can go out after training each day and have a nice pick of grass, and relax under a tree, it's just such a big help for him.

“Since he has been at Te Akau, Tommy (Hazlett) had done most of the track work on him and he's done a phenomenal job in helping to get the horse ready, and all credit to all the staff at Te Akau. It was the seventh black-type win this season and these sorts of results are far from easy,” said Ellis.