Star Singapore galloper Better Than Ever will return home to New Zealand to continue his career with Te Akau Racing.

Better Than Ever (6g French Deputy – Songfest by Unbridled’s Song) began his career with Brett McDonald in Cambridge for two trial runs before heading to Singapore where he quickly earned champion status, winning all five races of his two-year-old season under the tutelage of Kiwi expat Laurie Laxon.

Better Than Ever is owned by Weng Fei’s Jupiter Stable and he will enter the Matamata stables of Jason Bridgman after suffering a bleeding attack in May.  “The cooler climate in New Zealand will benefit Better Than Ever,” Jupiter’s racing manager Edward Letchiman said.

“He’s done plenty for Singapore and we will see how he goes in New Zealand.  If he doesn’t do well we will find a nice place for him to retire.”

Bred by Graham and Kylie Bax at their Blandford Lodge in Matamata, Better Than Ever was purchased by Laxon at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $80,000.

Unbeaten in his first 12 starts in Singapore from August 2009 to October 2010, Better Than Ever claimed a further four wins as a four and five-year-old including a second G1 Raffles Cup (1800m).