'True champion' Captain America blitzes rivals in the Champions Cup at Greyville

Report: South Africa, Saturday

Greyville: World Sports Betting Champions Cup (Grade 1) 1m 1f, turf, 3yo+

Captain America (Brett Crawford/Corne Orffer), part-owned by Diane Nagle, made amends for last year’s defeat at the hands of stable companion Sail South by making much of the running for an emphatic victory.

Orffer took it up after two and a half furlongs, kicked at the turn, where he was three lengths clear, and kept the 11-1 shot up to his work to score by two lengths from stable companion and 4-1 favourite Undercover Agent. Sail South was only sixth this time.

Orffer said: “Last year I think I went a bit too slow. Sail South sat right behind me and kicked off me and it was only late on that I got mine going again.

“He's a big galloper and today I let him roll. He blew them away and he is a true champion. He's the best I've ridden so far and I've been associated with him for the past three and a half seasons. I've a good relationship with him, and in fact he's become one of my best friends!”

Full result from Greyville

The seven-year-old has been a real money-spinner for his connections and this was his tenth win from 35 starts, which have also produced 20 placings.

He was the third Champions Cup winner in six seasons for Crawford, who revealed that it hasn’t all been plain sailing, saying: “He had a little setback at the beginning of the Durban season. He had an issue behind, we couldn’t put any pressure on him and we had to give him time to get over it.”

Earlier, Mike de Kock equalled Terrance Millard’s 117 South African Group 1 winners record when sending out a Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned one-two with Sograt (Randall Simons) and Alyaasaat in the Premiers Champion Stakes.

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