Winner: Always Certain (Not a Single Doubt-Akarana)
Race: SingTC Committee’s Prize G3 (1200m)
Sold for $60,000
Sale: 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Swettenham Stud (As Agent)
Buyer: Badgers Bloodstock
Owner(s): Horizon Stable
Earnings: S$523,924 (A$421,792)
Trainer: Michael Freedman (Kranji)

Always Certain confirmed himself as one of the new stars of Singapore racing with a sensational last to first win in today’s Committee’s Prize (1600m) at Kranji.

In scoring the most deserved big race in Singapore for the season, Always Certain etched his name into the record books.

He stopped the clock in 1 minute 33.85 seconds for the 1600 metre trip – 0.26 seconds quicker than Intercept ran when he broke the record earlier in the year.

Prior to his group race success today, Always Certain had placed in a number of big races including the Singapore Guineas, 3YO Sprint, Juvenile Championship and Steward’s Cup.

Always Certain was purchased by Grant Pritchard-Gordon’s Badgers Bloodstock on behalf of the Michael Freedman stable for $60,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Freedman was a happy man in the winner’s stall – and suggested a crack at one of Singapore’s biggest and best races was on the cards.

“Who would have thought that this bloke would be getting out to this sort of trip and possibly further.”

“He’s bred to be a sprinter but he has always shown that all he wants it to get over ground.”

“I said to (owner) Bernard (Lee) that the Gold Cup might be the way to go with him now.”

“He’s just so relaxed and has a devastating finish. Whether it is over 1400 or a mile, his last 100 is as good as I’ve seen froma horse here since I arrived.”

“I’m just so happy to have won a feature race with this horse for Bernard. He has been a great supporter of mine since day one when I arrived.”

“Danny knows the horse better than anyone,” Freedman said. “He got a little further back than was intended, but he was comfortable and had two of the more favoured runners back there with him.”

Freedman thinks the $1.35 million Singapore Gold Cup on November 14 could be the right race for Always Certain to target now.

“I’ll go home and have a think about things and see what options there are for him through to the Gold Cup.”

Rider Danny Beasley said he was never too concerned that he had his mount too far from the leaders through much of the race.

“They were going along at a good tempo and I thought to myself to ride the horse and not the race,” he said.

“My biggest concern was when we swung for home there was this massive wall.”

“Ridden cold this horse has a great turn of foot and he showed everyone today just what he is capable of.”Always Certain was bred by Dr Paul Cradock and is by Not a Single Doubt and from his stakes winning Akaaber mare Akarana.

“I bought her off the track as a maiden mare,” Cradock said of Akarana. “She won the Vanity Stakes at Flemington.”

“She had quite a good family and her brother was pretty smart and he (Suavity) won a (Tasmanian) Derby.”

After a couple of disappointing results in the breeding barn it was her date with former star Magic Millions graduate Not a Single Doubt that turned things around full circle for Akarana.

“The emphasis to me is on physical type, so when I was looking for a stallion for Akarana – Not a Single Doubt seemed a great match.”

“The mare is a big, roomy type and to me I was looking for a powerful, short coupled sprinting type to send her to.”

“Not a Single Doubt certainly fitted that. And right from the time he was foaled he was a lovely type of horse.”

“He was a lovely type and we took him to the Magic Millions and he made $60,000.”

Dr Cradock has bred a number of quality gallopers including Lucky Secret, Hinting, Beauty School, Coincidental and Marie Madeleine and Always Certain could well graduate to be his bred graduate yet.

He keeps between 10 and 12 mares and is excited to have Always Certain’s half brother by Shamardal heading for the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.

“He’s a lovely type and Shamardal is certainly doing a great job. There’s plenty to look forward to.”