KEY POINTS:
You only have to look into Noel Harris' eyes to see he's had to take the bad with the good.
So the nervous few days waiting to see if he's confirmed to ride Princess Coup in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday week is just another bump on the highway of life for the likeable, veteran Matamata jockey.
He's already missed out on one top Caulfield Cup ride he probably should have had - Count Chivas, who finished second to outstanding stayer Doriemus in 1995.
Owners John Bromley and Ray Coupland have been set the task of deciding on a rider after Harris guided Princess Coup to a stunning last-stride victory in the $2 million Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings on Saturday.
Bromley told the Herald yesterday he's happy for trainer Mark Walker to make his 50 per cent of the vote for him.
Walker confirmed yesterday that Melbourne-based Kerrin McEvoy had been in touch overnight offering his services as one of only a few topline riders on either side of the Tasman who can manage Princess Coup's lightweight 50.5kg at Caulfield.
There had earlier been a suggestion McEvoy would be required for Northern Hemisphere's Purple Moon.
Bromley represented the mare on Saturday with fellow owner Ray Coupland too ill in Christchurch to travel.
Four and a half years ago, the semi-retired Wellington property investor was a stranger to horse racing - Princess Coup on Saturday was his 51st winner in that short time.
"I'm still a novice, so in the best interests of the mare, I will leave the decision on a rider to Mark."
Clearly winning New Zealand's richest race was a buzz for Harris just as he'd love to be at Caulfield in 12 days' time, but it's not the end of the world if he isn't.
He's won Cox Plates, Tancred Stakes and every race that's worth winning in New Zealand and he's happy simply to be, remarkably, riding in the best form of his career as a 52-year-old.
The timing Harris can create when presenting a back runner like Princess Coup into the fray late is staggering. Rarely does he get it wrong and on Saturday it was timed to the absolute last stride.
Which is what caused so much havoc among rival riders.
Princess Coup rattled home so fast, Mark Du Plessis on second-placed J'Adane still thought he'd won even after the horses pulled up, turned around and headed back to the birdcage.
"Then [the mounted] Tommy Hazlett went over with the microphone and started talking to Noel on Princess Coup and I said to myself: 'Something's wrong here."'
The Hastings grandstand is built on an angle to the track and most in the members' stand watch the finishes from past the winning post.
Tight finishes are almost impossible to gauge and the confusion was deepened on Saturday when Harris and Du Plessis both gave victory waves with their whip.
Instinct told Harris he'd won. He says he refused to look to his left in the home straight as he charged down the outside.
"I didn't want to look across and see either Seachange or Sir Slick having kicked clear along the inside - I just decided to concentrate on doing my own thing."
Harris revels in the personal touch of horse racing - he likes nothing better than telling jokes on raceday.
"Racing's been kind to me and I love its people. There are so many wonderful people in racing."
It's kept him remarkably young as he enters the second half century of life. "I think I'm 18 every day - until I look in the mirror."
