KEY POINTS:
Most of us wouldn't see the funny side of this type of Christmas Day.
Ask high-profile veteran jockey Noel Harris what he ate yesterday and he says: "A plate of feathers and horse pee and ginger."
In other words nothing. Literally, nil by mouth and that includes almost all fluids.
The remarkable 54-year-old has being doing it tough to allow himself the opportunity - for the first time this afternoon at Ellerslie - to ride stunning 3-year-old Tell A Tale in the $200,000 Zabeel Classic at 52kg.
While almost all of us yesterday gorged ourselves, Harris tried to keep himself busy to forget about food.
He's on the Mark Walker-trained hot favourite because his son Troy Harris, Tell A Tale's regular rider, cannot get down the regulation weight.
Last month Harris suffered one of the biggest disappointments of his career when son Troy, on Tell A Tale, got up in the last stride and beat him a nose on Il Quello Veloce in the $1 million 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in Christchurch.
Today Troy will watch his favourite horse being ridden by his father and will try hard to beat him, this time on the second favourite Ginga Dude (at 59kg).
It's been said many times, and it's true, that Noel Harris is a physical freak of nature. To be able to ride at the level of brilliance that he does at 54 goes beyond remarkable. And to be able to waste hard down to 52kg is gruelling. Extremely gruelling.
He admits he hasn't always had that level of dedication.
"I used to be a stone [6kg] heavier than I am now. It helped when my first wife and I broke up. I had to do my own cooking and I lost nearly a stone."
That might be a flippant remark, but Harris takes his weight seriously these days - it's a jockey's tool of trade.
"This is the third week straight I've had to be 52kg. I did it two weeks ago to ride Six O'Clock News in the Waikato Cup and again last week to win on Il Quello Veloce at Manawatu."
Harris's own words explain how difficult it's been to shave an already hard, fit body back to 52kg three weeks running.
Harris says thirst, rather than hunger, is often the toughest to endure.
"Oddly, worrying about your weight can make it harder to take off."
The TAB opened Tell A Tale up at $2.20 hot favourite on Wednesday. Not surprisingly, the Auckland Racing Club is delighted with the pre-sold element of today's meeting.
Racing director Andrew Castles said the club was delighted with the response to pre-booked packages.
"The Cuvee Bar has been sold out for three weeks, but there are obviously plenty of other venues on course. There are any number of packages able to be purchased on the day.
"And the infield is licensed for bring your own."
* Key events
10am: Gates open.
12.45pm: First race.
1pm: Fashion parades begin.
3.25pm: Fashions in the Field semifinal.
4pm: Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic.
4.15pm: Presentation for Fashions in the Field winners.
5.35pm: First Sovereign Trust Great Northern Guineas.
6.15pm: Zabeel Classic.
