How jockey spurred horse to victory

The last thing co-owner Gary Basel said to jockey Calvin Habib before the race was: "Calvin, you left something out there last year; go and fetch it!"

- Mike Moon

Habib followed the instruction to a tee, riding Atticus Finch, trained by Alec Laird, to victory in the richest race in Africa, the R6-million Betway Summer Cup at Turffontein last Saturday.

Basel was referring to last year's Joburg premier race, when Atticus Finch started as a 11/2 joint-favourite, but finished unplaced after being hampered at key moments.

This time around, most punters looked elsewhere for a winner and the gelding went off at 20/1.

But the team of Habib, the owners and the Laird stable had a point to prove after their 2023 disappointment.

As Basel put it: "This year we had a better plan."