Intro:

Better Life wins Singapore Gold Cup at the Kranji Racecourse on Sunday.

Script:

Sixteen horses battled for the US$1.1-million Singapore Gold Cup at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore on Sunday.

Early favourite (5) Deep Pockets fell back early on as outsiders (12) Mitre Peak and (1) Flax moved to the front of the 2200-meter distance course.

But as they headed down the stretch, the distance began taking victims while (2) Better Life made his move.

Jockey Alan Munro manoeuvred Better Life to the outside then sprinted to the finish, outpacing late chargers (9) Maurice Utrillo and (5) Deep Pockets to win by a length.

Maurice Utrillo places in second (2:18.48) while punter's choice (5) Deep Pockets recovered from a slow start to end third (2:18.55).

It is a fourth Singapore Gold Cup victory and second in a row for Better Life's Japanese trainer Hideyuki Takaoka.