The high-class Gr1 winner Captain America opened his Cape summer campaign in style at Durbanville on Sunday when he took the honours in an exciting finish to the R250 000 Gr3 Matchem Stakes after a six month break.
Corne Orffer keeps Captain America at his task to win well. Blarney Bay (Heavelon van der Hoven is fading out on the rail (Pic – Wayne Marks)
The 6yo gelding, a winner of the 2015 Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, made up with class and courage what he lacked for in match fitness at his first start at a track that has always looked decidedly unsuited to his massive frame.
The Matchem Stakes has been won by some top horses over the years and is a black book launching pad for the big season in South Africa’s summer playground.
It has been almost a year since Captain America’s last victory – that came in the 2015 Gr2 Green Point Stakes, but the lightly raced gelding showed that he could be set for a sizzling summer with a confidence boosting success that will give his connections plenty of options.
Durbanville – a new era soon
Going off a 22-10 favourite in a race that he looked weighted to win, Captain America kept the regular pacesetter Blarney Bay within range as he stalked him all the way around the tight 1400m circuit.
Into the home run, Captain America always seemed to be going better than anything else and he stuck to his task like a good horse as he staved off an eyecatching late surge by a flying Baritone (a cracking effort!) to win by 0,40 lengths in a time of 83,85 secs.
The winner’s stablemate Midnite Zone was always in the firing line and ran out of his skin to finish just 0,70 lengths off the winner in third, with Heartland running a pleasing race a half length back in fourth.
Brett Crawford – thrilled with the win
Trainer Brett Crawford said that Captain America showed in the pre-race parade that he needed to tighten up but that his class had shone through.
“He is a once in a lifetime horse for his owners,” said Crawford.
Captain America’s regular pilot, the SMG Cape Town and Vasco sponsored Corne Orffer, said that he had been instructed to ride the son of Captain Al positively.
“We knew the pace was going to be on and he was sort of stopping at the end, but his heart carried him to victory,” said Orffer.
Captain America has registered 8 wins with 12 places from 23 starts for stakes of R3 408 425.
He was a R400 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, and was re-sold for R500 000 at the Ready To Run Sale 8 months later.
The Varsfontein Stud bred gelding is a son of the outstanding Captain Al out of the five-time winning Fort Wood mare Requista.
This was the last Matchem run on the ‘old’ Durbanville and work commences later this month on the track upgrade, which is expected to be completed in about six months.
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Gr3 Matchem Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Durbanville, South Africa, October 9, R250k, 1400m, turf, soft, 1.23.85
1 – CAPTAIN AMERICA (SAF), 60.0, b g 6, Captain Al (SAF) – Requista (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA). Owner Mesdames Adam Gurney, D Nagle & D J Sherrell; Breeder Varsfontein Stud; trainer BJ Crawford; jockey C Orffer
2 – Baritone (SAF), 56.5, b c 4, Trippi (USA) – Candy Singer (ARG) by Singspiel (IRE)
3 – Midnite Zone (SAF), 56.5, b g 4, Trippi (USA) – Helleborus Blue (USA) by Cee’s Tizzy (USA)
Margins: 0.40, 0.30, 0.50
