Markab wins Sprint Cup as Starspangled disappoints Markab became only the second seven-year-old to land the Betfred Sprint Cup when powering home at Haydock, as Aidan O'Brien's Starspangledbanner disappointed in fifth. Emulating the 1977 hero Boldboy, Henry Candy's charge lifted the prize in the hands of Pat Cosgrave from Lady Of the Desert and Genki. The field split into two groups with favourite Starspangledbanner ahead on the far side and Markab soon prominent on the stands side. Once in the clear, Markab came off the rail and was well in command at the finish. The 12-1 shot won by a length and a quarter from Lady Of The Desert (9-1) with Genki (20-1) a length away third. Candy said: "He's a magnificent horse, he's a very happy horse now and very relaxed. He's very content and seems to get bigger and stronger. "I think we will go to Paris now for the Prix de l'Abbaye." Candy went on: "If he's OK we will go for the Abbaye now and if we feel he is a bit jointy after this race I think he will have earned a rest. "He's a seven-year-old and has got a lot of miles on the clock. He's a very happy horse nowadays. We just turn him out every day and he seems to enjoy that. "I didn't whether they would split into two groups but where we were drawn we thought we would jump out and make use of the rail and that is what he did. "He started running in 80-rated handicaps over seven furlongs at Lingfield and it is incredible how he has progressed since." Colm O'Donoghue, rider of Starspangledbanner, who finished fifth, said: "He ran OK, but he's had a long season."
