Atticus Finch to strike at the Vaal

Jack Milner

Fans of Harper Lee’s great novel To Kill A Mockingbird will be aware of the name Atticus Finch. He is a lawyer and a man who stands up to fight racial injustice in a small town in the American south.

Trainer Alec Laird also knows about Atticus Finch, but his is an equine version who is running to hopefully book a place in some three-year-old features later in the season.

This son of Master Of My Fate has raced three times for a win and two places, and now looks ready to pick up victory No 2 when he lines up in Race 6 on Tuesday, a MR 90 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1600m on the Vaal Classic track.

There was a lot to like about his comeback run from a three-month break in a MR 93 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1800m at Turffontein last time. He ran on best of all to finish a 0.50-length second to African Torrent and probably was in need of the run.

He does drop in distance, but a fitter and stronger Atticus Finch will turn up at the Vaal and he is taken to go one better this time.

His first two runs have looked to be very strong as two winners came out of his debut run while three runners who finished behind him in his next start, which was a winning one, went on to take top honours in their next outings.

That victorious run was over this course and distance. JP van der Merwe has ridden him in two of his runs, but not the winning one, and will be aboard again.

Libeccio has exposed form, having raced nine times for a win and two places, but his victory, which came in his penultimate outing, could not have been more impressive. Tyrone Zackey’s runner literally lost his opposition as he ran out a 8.75-length victory over Gimme Royalty.

He ran against Atticus Finch in his next start but finished 2.75 lengths behind him and although 1kg better off, it does not look enough to reverse the form.

Others with room for improvement are last-time maiden winners World’s Best, Lovers Lane and Future Pearl.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 8 Fly Isabella Fly, 3 Memorial Day, 1 Simply Magic, 10 Kabuki Mo

Race 2: 1 Mythical Dream, 4 Dancing Dora, 5 Mia Regina, 2 Show Time

Race 3: 3 Moraine, 4 Princess Ozma, 1 Unconditional Love, 5 Cerulean Dancer

Race 4: 2 Main Mission, 4 Billy Spellbound, 12 Sparkling Jubilee, 5 Skyjet

Race 5: 1 Master Of Coin, 2 Ignatius, 4 Vengeance Forever, 8 Flag Bearer

Race 6: 2 Atticus Finch, 5 Libeccio, 3 World's Best, 4 Just Eminent

Race 7: 5 Kalahari Blue, 4 Asiye Phambili, 2 Mcebisi, 3 Trident King

Race 8: 1 Queen Of Smoke, 5 Gilda Gray, 2 Strange Magic, 3 Nyali Beach

BEST BET

Race 3 No 3 Moraine

VALUE BET

Race 4 No 2 Main Mission

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 3x8

BIPOT

R36

Leg 1: 3, 8

Leg 2: 1, 4

Leg 3: 3

Leg 4: 2, 4, 12

Leg 5: 1, 2, 4

Leg 6: 2

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R72

Leg 1: 1, 4

Leg 2: 3

Leg 3: 2, 4, 12

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4

Leg 5: 2

Leg 6: 4, 5

Leg 7: 1, 5

PICK 6

R320

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 2, 4, 5, 12

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8

Leg 4: 2

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 5

JACKPOT 1

R80

Leg 1: 2, 4, 5, 12

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8

Leg 3: 2

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5

JACKPOT 2

R80

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8

Leg 2: 2

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5