KEY POINTS:
Elton John had more pull than the $150,000 Avondale Gold Cup for winning owner Jim Barlow.
When Noel Harris and Sharvasti were booming over the finish line to pick up the $94,000 winner's cheque at Avondale late yesterday her Wellington-based owner Jim Barlow was fighting the crowd to
get to Westpac Stadium.
The high flyer in financial circles told trainer John Sargent the opportunity to see the star was too big a pull to make the trip north for the group one race.
Barlow was already organising the Wellington champagne after-concert party before he walked through the gates at the Cake Tin and Sargent was so thrilled at the official presentation that he invited everyone on the course to join him at the northern knees-up he was busy arranging.
It nearly didn't happen the right way - Sharvasti had to overcome a tough passage in the second half of the race, which nearly cost her connections dearly.
Noel Harris blamed it on tight, competitive riding.
"That Leith Innes learned a few tricks in Japan, "said a breathless Harris as he dismounted.
"Jeez did he have me tight on the home bend - I was going nowhere."
Innes rode Australian mare Upstaged, who dead-heated for second behind Sharvasti.
"On the bend I was yelling at Leith and he wasn't listening - not that I blame him, I'd have done the same."
Harris' nerve - remarkable for a 51-year-old - won the day.
"I was getting so desperate to get out I nearly went up inside Leith's horse, but I didn't want to do that."
Instead, Harris waited until Innes made his forward run on Upstaged and immediately followed him, going to the outside.
But the gap between horses initially did not look like being enough for Sharvasti.
Again Harris delayed letting down Sharvasti's devastating final sprint, which, in retrospect, was the winning of the race because when the gap came it meant the mare had the last run at the leaders.
"The other thing is that when she gets to the front too soon she can run around a bit, so everything worked out well for us," said a relieved Sargent, who has been through the most volatile month of his life.
At the presentation Harris paid tribute to Sargent's training talent to get Sharvasti fit for a 2200m race like the Avondale Cup after cutting a foot and having to be late scratched from the Counties Cup two weeks ago.
Whatever disadvantage that created was overcome and Sharvasti looked a picture of health and fitness in the pre-race parade.
Aftershock, in his first run in open company, nearly tore off the race.
It was a terrific effort for only his eighth appearance at the races and he had to work hard early from the outside starting gate to get across and track the leaders into the bend out of the straight the first time.
He fought hard all the way down the straight and was beaten only by a quick dash by the winner.
"He's still a big kid," said Lisa Cropp, who was having her first ride on Aftershock.
Upstaged looked to be travelling like a winner on the home bend and looked even more like one when she dashed up to share the lead at the 220m. She should have no trouble picking up a race on the trip.
Mirkola Lass did well for a close fourth in her first start in the top grades and Mandela was close up on the outside.
* Anthony Fuller has a very English sounding name and he speaks like an educated Englishman.
But he's a rugged shearer with one racehorse who against all odds came to town and ripped off yesterday's $100,000 Fumacare Concorde at Avondale.
The $77 dividend around Happy Sculpture said it all.
Fuller, who sheared 280 sheep on Tuesday, was so excited he had no idea where to greet Happy Sculpture as Allan Peard brought the speedster back to the Avondale birdcage.
His wife Sarah, who owns half of the horse with Owen Lockett, was equally excited.
Anthony Fuller said he fancied Happy Sculpture, despite the massive odds.
"He had a week off recently because he had a hole in his back from bad saddle rub.
"I knew that if he could finish close up fourth in that Ellerslie sprint when needing a race that he'd be right in this race today."
Fuller and his wife train Happy Sculpture in the hills and on the beach.
"He goes to the track only twice a month."
Happy Sculpture led and only just held on to beat the fast-finishing Sent To Sea, who dashed late along the inside.
Vaalu was driving home late on the outside, just ahead of Orpington.
Race favourite Gee I Jane had no luck.
She was caught three wide and pulled hard for Grant Cooksley and was left with no finish under her 58kg.
