First Group 1 performer for Not a Single Doubt

Brilliant 3YO colt Squamosa enhanced Not a Single Doubt ‘s record with a wonderfully brave second in today’s $1 million STC Golden Rose S. 1400m G1 at Rosehill.

Drawn badly at 14, Squamosa, pictured right, winning at Randwick in July, was given a bold ride by Nash Rawiller, who made good use of the colt’s speed out of the gates and crossed to the rail in a manoeuvre that subsequently earned a suspension for the jockey. Once in front, Squamosa bowled along freely and soon after the turn he kicked clear with a burst that seemed likely to give Not a Single Doubt his first Group One winner, until Toorak Toff arrived on the scene to claim victory by a mere half-neck, with Ilovethiscity third, in a class record time of 1:21.90.

Squamosa has progressed rapidly since his winning debut at Randwick on 7 July, winning again on 24 July and taking out the STC Run to the Rose H. G3 on 14 August. His prizemoney from four starts now stands at $370,800.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse indicated after the race that Squamosa will now spell before a campaign aimed at two of Australia’s major Group 1 sprints, the Newmarket Handicap and Lightning Stakes at Flemington.

Squamosa was purchased from the Arrowfield draft for $140,000 by Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds at the 2009 Magic Millions Premier Sale, and is owned by Jeremy Tan, Gillian Tan & Grace Wong.

Not a Single Doubt has had a tremendous start to the 2010/11 season in Australia, with ten winners of 11 races since 1 August. His latest winner is the promising 3YO Roadtrain (ex Primarose by Royal Academy) who won his third race in three starts at Geelong yesterday, and may soon be seen in black type company.

That run of success is not limited to Australia. Not a Single Doubt’s smart 4YO son Always Certain (ex Akarana by Akaaber) won a $S75,000 Class 3 race over 1600m in Singapore on Friday evening. Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden as usual by Danny Beasley, Always Certain came from the rear of the field to sweep past Ten Ten Lai and win by three parts of a length in a time of 1:22.30. His record of 13 starts now includes four wins, and seven placings, among them four seconds to leading Singapore performer Better Than Ever.

Not a Single Doubt stands at Arrowfield in 2010 at a fee of $13,750 (inc. GST).