- John Gosden’s No 2 jockey wins Fillies’ Mile for overdue success
- Havlin: ‘I’m elated and don’t think it will sink in until I get home’
After 31 years in the saddle, more than two decades as John Gosden’s ever-loyal No 2 jockey and around 40 attempts, Rab Havlin finally added a Group One winner to his record here on Friday, and the rider’s determination not to allow another chance to slip through his grasp was palpable as Commissioning, odds-on for the Fillies’ Mile, approached the final furlong with a length still to make up on the front-running Novakai.
For a moment, as she became a little unbalanced on the run into the Dip, it seemed that Commissioning would struggle to reel in Novakai, and she briefly traded at 2-1 in running on the Betfair exchange. Once she found her stride, however, she rapidly closed down Novakai, hit the front around 100 yards from the line and stayed on well for a one-length success.
