KEY POINTS:
It's one of the best tips in horse racing - Noel Harris turning up to ride trackwork in advance of a big race.
The Matamata veteran was at the Cambridge track last Saturday morning to ride a gallop on Six O'Clock News.
Tomorrow Harris partners the staying talent in the $135,000 Waikato Times Gold Cup at Te Rapa.
And if the form stacks up, Harris should be saluting the judge.
Noel Harris doesn't ride trackwork.
It's not about being lazy, it's more to do with the remarkable way the 53-year-old has been able to preserve his body - particularly his knees - through a long career and still be riding as well as he ever has at an age when most would have retired more than a decade earlier.
Had Harris been riding trackwork extensively in the past 10 years, it's very doubtful his knees would have held out against the wear and tear.
But he makes the odd exception - when he was engaged for Princess Coup in the 2007 version of the $2 million Kelt Capital Stakes, he broke with tradition and showed up at the Matamata track to give the high-class mare one of her final pieces of fast work.
Co-trainer Paddy Busuttin tells an interesting story about calling Harris late last week.
"I mentioned I would like him here tomorrow [Saturday] morning.
"There was a lengthy silence.
"Then Noel said: 'What about Tuesday morning?'
"I said no, the horse is not a Tuesday-Thursday gallop horse, he's a Saturday-Wednesday horse.
"Finally, he said 'okay'."
Harris revealed he had never ridden trackwork at Cambridge.
He also declared Six O'Clock News' work as "very, very good".
Paddy Busuttin agreed and has been very much looking forward to stepping him up to the 2400m of the Waikato Cup.
Six O'Clock News has been getting back in his races and running on, a style that has not suited all of the races he's tackled lately.
His eighth in the Counties Cup last start was one of those. The day threw up a fairly substantial bias against back runners and Six O'Clock News did well to finish only 1.25 lengths off winner Gallions Reach.
Six O'Clock News has always looked a horse that is strengthening slowly and the stable has done a good job getting him to progress under that restriction.
Although only eighth last start, it was one of his best career performances.
The on-speed bias that day is extremely unlikely to be replicated this time and Six O'Clock News' stamina should be a major factor.
"Rain's our main worry," said Paddy Busuttin. Yesterday the Te Rapa track was rated as a good 3.
Rain is forecast for later today and early tomorrow and it may become an important factor, depending on volume.
But Te Rapa has remarkable drying capabilities and if the rain is not substantial the footing should suit all horses.
Gallions Reach won the Counties Cup with 58kg and remains on the same weight, while most of the others drop in weight. Six O'Clock News, for example, comes back to 52.5kg from 54kg.
Gallions Reach was extremely brave in winning that day, but got a few favours with a lovely ride from Sam Spratt and the on-speed bias.
It should be much tougher for him this time, but some of his best races have been when the going gets tough.
Young Centaur will have a change of rider, Michael Walker replacing Noel Harris.
"I had no intention of running in this race," said trainer John Sargent, "and when I decided to run, Noel had taken the ride on Six O'Clock News."
Sargent said Young Centaur had done too well to go straight into the City Of Auckland Cup without a lead-up race.
Jockey's lead ...
* Noel Harris broke his usual rule and rode Six O'Clock News in one of his final gallops for this race.
* Harris doesn't do that often - one of the last occasions was before Princess Coup won the $2 million Kelt Capital last year.
* An on-speed bias made it difficult for Six O'Clock News in the Counties Cup last start.
* Young Centaur has been entered because John Sargent says the horse has done too well to tackle the City Of Auckland Cup without a lead-up.
