Talking Horses: Havlin lands Group One breakthrough with Commissioning

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.

It was not an entirely convincing success but Commissioning remains unbeaten after three starts having only made her racecourse debut in late July, and most bookmakers took the chance to trim her price for next spring’s 1,000 Guineas to around 4-1 second-favourite behind the impressive Moyglare Stud Stakes winner, Tahiyra.

Havlin took over on Commissioning in place of the suspended Frankie Dettori, Gosden’s No 1 rider, who was in the winner’s enclosure to lead the congratulations after Havlin’s breakthrough win at the highest level.

“She gave me a worrying moment going into the Dip when she got a bit unbalanced but God, once she hit the rising ground …” Havlin said. “She was taking off at the line.

“I’m feeling elated and I don’t think it will sink in until I get home. I knew she had a hot chance but they have still got to come here and do it. In the last half a furlong she’s done nothing but quicken so she has all the attributes to be proper good