A Fully Furnished Atticus Finch To Defend Summer Cup Crown

Atticus Finch wins last year’s Betway Summer Cup

One of the most eyecatching recent performances on the South African turf was that of the reigning Betway Summer Cup champion Atticus Finch, who flew up late in the Gr 2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge to be narrowly denied.

He duly appeared among the first entries of the 2025 Summer Cup, which can be seen at the bottom of this article together with the sponsor’s ante-post betting.

Alec Laird said, “In the Spring Challenge Atticus Finch was handicapped to beat the third and fourth horses (Busstopinhounslow and Choisaanada) comfortably anyway, but I thought the Inside track 1450m would be too sharp for him.”

He continued, “He is in a good space,” which is good news because he suffered epistaxis in his last start last season when trailing in last in the  Hollywoodbets Durban July, beaten 18,85 lengths.

Alec added, “He has actually furnished, horses can still grow at his age (six years old). At six horses are not improving, but he seems a bit stronger and I think he’s a fully furnished horse now.”

Hic class was evident on Saturday and he could step up on his performance in last year’s Summer Cup, although on paper he will not need a big step up to defend his title.

Last year he carried 54kg off a 112 and was actually 3,5kg under sufferance and he won by 1,10 lengths, so he ran to a 121 rating and that is what his merit rating is today.

In theory, at first glance, he would not have to improve to win narrowly (by a head) off that mark, despite the fact he will now be carrying 58kg as things stand.

However, he will have to improve relative to one of the topweights, See It Again.

The two highest rated horses in the race are See It Again and Royal Victory on 125, so they will carry joint topweight of 60kg as things stand.

Comparing Atticus Finch to that pair from last year, he beat Royal Victory by three lengths and is now only 1kg worse off, so has the latter’s measure by two lengths on paper, and he beat See It Again by 2,50 lengths and is 4kg worse off, meaning See It Again emerges 1,5 lengths ahead of him on paper.

Alec has also entered Parisian Walkway (117), Greeting My Master (110) and Aristotle (109).

The sponsor have made the Fabian Habib-trained Gr 1 SA Classic winner Confederate the favourite.

Confederate also ran last Saturday, in a Conditions Plate over 1450m, and bounced back from his disappointing run in the Hollywoodbets Durban July with an easy 2,30 length victory carrying 57kg.

His time was quicker than the Joburg Spring Challenge time too.

He is merit rated only 117, so will be carrying a nice galloping weight of 56kg and looks to be a worthy favourite.

The field and the sponsor’s ante-post betting is shown below:

Gauteng’s premier race day will host the theme, Jozi Rising, which symbolises a renewed purpose.