Former champion jockey Douglas Whyte earned his first win at the highest level as a trainer when The Not a Single Doubt entire Stronger edged out the Deep Field gelding Sky Field in a thrilling finish to the Group 1 The Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The two baldy-faced chestnuts made their runs together from the back of the field. With Vincent Ho in the saddle, Stronger kept pulling out a little more every time Blake Shinn threatened on Sky Field.
Whyte said that Stronger had come out of the tragic Hong Kong Sprint with significant injuries and was thrilled to see him bounce back.
John Size's old warrior Hot King Prawn (Denman) was a half-length back in third.
Bred by Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd and Planette Thoroughbred, Stronger began life in Australia for Peter and Paul Snowden.
Ironically, he was ridden by Blake Shinn when winning the Group III GCTC Ken Russell Memorial Classic in 2019 and was third behind the runaway winner Cosmic Force in the Group III Pago Pago Stakes.
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He is the best of three winners from as many starts out of the winning Starcraft mare Star Pupil, a sister to dual Listed stakes-winner Ain'Tnofallenstar and a half-sister to Group II Queensland Guineas winner Bachman (All American) and the 2015 Singapore Horse of The Year Stepitup (Hussonet).
A daughter of the 3-time Listed stakes-winner and Group 1 placed Ain't Seen Nothin', Star Pupil has a yearling filly by Pariah and a filly foal by Snitzel. She was covered by Snitzel again last spring.
Stronger becomes the 16th Group 1 winner for Arrowfield Stud's pensioned Not A Single Doubt, whose final crop of yearlings are selling this year.
