Robert Havlin pays tribute to Gosden after milestone 1,000th success

For three weeks Robert Havlin had been stuck on 999 career winners — but not anymore.

It was only fitting that old ally John Gosden finally ended the wait when Pitcher’s Point carried the 46-year-old jockey to a 1,000th British Flat success at Lingfield on Wednesday.

Havlin, for so long the stalwart of Gosden’s all-conquering Clarehaven team, brought up the significant career milestone with an all-the-way three-length success on the 10-11 favourite in the 1m2f novice stakes.

Paying tribute to the champion trainer, he said: “The second half of my career has been a lot better than the first! I’ve got John Gosden to thank for that, he’s been an unbelievable friend and supporter for a long time and it’s down to him."

Havlin has played an integral role at Gosden's talent-packed Newmarket stable, most notably riding multiple Group 1 winners Enable and Cracksman to victory on their debuts at Newcastle and Newmarket.

Robert Havlin: has ridden the likes of Cracksman in their workCredit: Edward Whitaker

A regular partner of dual Arc heroine Enable in her homework, he has had a plethora of big-race victories but is still searching for a first Group 1 success.

Havlin pinpointed Richard Pankhurst’s Hungerford Stakes success in 2016 as one of his best moments in the saddle. “I always knew if I got a shot on him I could win," he said.

"He was quite a quirky horse, unbelievably talented, but you had to ride him a certain way. There have been a lot of highlights over the years."

Havlin gained his first winner in June 1991 at his home track Ayr on the John Wilson-trained Diet and has won several Group 2s for Gosden during a 20-year association, including on Great Heavens (2012 Lancashire Oaks) and Shalaa (2015 July Stakes) as well as Richard Pankhurst in the Hungerford.

He missed a large part of 2017 after receiving a six-month ban from the French authorities for a failed drugs test – he has always disputed the validity of the test – but bounced back by achieving his first century of winners the following year.

A regular on the international stage, Havlin won the 2012 Derby Italiano on Feuerblitz and the 2015 Oaks d'Italia on Lovelyn.

Robert Havlin CV

Full name Robert Havlin

Born December 6, 1973

Apprenticed to John Wilson, Linda Perratt, Peter Chapple-Hyam

First winner Diet (trainer John Wilson), Ayr, June 22, 1991

Best mounts Cracksman (won Newmarket maiden 2016), Enable (won Newcastle maiden 2016)

Group 2 Classic winners Feuerblitz (2012 Derby Italiano), Lovelyn (2015 Oaks d'Italia)

Other Group 2 winners Great Heavens (2012 Lancashire Oaks), Gregorian (2013 Hungerford Stakes), Shalaa (2015 July Stakes), Gretchen (2015 Park Hill Stakes), Richard Pankhurst (2016 Hungerford Stakes)

Biggest handicap winner King's Warrior (2012 John Smith's Cup)

Royal Ascot winner Ardad (2016 Windsor Castle Stakes)

Most wins in a year in Britain 127 in 2018

Compiled by John Randall

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