KEY POINTS:
He is the slowest horse New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock has ever put a saddle on.
And even on his best day, Stitched is no more than what Sharrock would call an "adequate" jumper.
But over the gruelling 6400m, the trainer is confident the stable slug can win him his first Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie tomorrow - at his first attempt.
The key, says Sharrock, is Stitched's bottomless stamina. He hits a steady cruising speed and while his rivals wilt, Stitched is the Energizer bunny on four legs. He just keeps going.
"He'll go through the pain barrier and keep running," said Sharrock, who saddled the 1994 Northern hurdles' winner Tawhiti Road in partnership with dad Bob.
"If ever there's a perfect Northern horse he is it. He's just so dour. There's no bottom to the horse.
"In the National [at Riccarton] he would have kept going for one more round."
Stitched's last-start second to Gauchito Bastado in the 5600m National is both the best pointer to his chances tomorrow and Sharrock's worst nightmare.
Just when the impressive Koral winner was warming up for stand-in rider Kenny Watson - first-choice Jonathan Riddell was suspended - the eight-year-old was stopped in his tracks with 600m to go.
Watson went for an inside run along the fence but was severely checked by the wayward Rainline and Chad Ormsby, who later received a warning from the stipes.
The fact that a flat-footed Stitched recovered to still run the winner to two lengths is why he should start favourite tomorrow.
"I can't look at that race again, it makes me sick," said Sharrock. "I only have to see that once and that will do me. It's a bit unfortunate to be honest."
Sharrock's frustration is so palpable you almost want to hug him down the phone line.
The split-second check not only undid months of big-race preparation and conditioning, it also ruined a fairytale comeback.
Stitched broke down after sealing early Northern favouritism last year by winning the Wellington Steeplechase at Awapuni in July.
Michelle Strawbridge (nee Hopkins) oversaw his comeback from tendon implant surgery, nursing him back to race fitness under a tried and true conditioning formula perfected by Cambridge jumping icons Ken and Anne Browne.
The National was just his seventh race back from what used to be a career-ending injury.
Sharrock, however, wasn't about to make the same mistake he did with Bogeyman last year.
After Bogeyman's impressive National win last year, Sharrock opted to sidestep the Northern, thinking the brilliant jumper was better off in the paddock.
When the Sandy Dravitzki-trained I'mance - the horse Bogeyman easily beat at Riccarton - backed up with a close Northern second to Real Tonic, Sharrock conceded he may have made the wrong call.
"In hindsight I should have kept going with him and taken him up to Ellerslie for the Northern," said Sharrock.
"As it's turned out he's broken down so I'll never have a chance at the Northern."
Sharrock says you can't compare Bogeyman with Stitched.
Bogeyman was more brilliant and made up two lengths on his rivals at every fence, while Stitched's strength lies in his never-day-die attitude.
Sharrock also knows Stitched was born to scramble up Ellerslie's infamous hill, an attribute already proven on raceday - he won his maiden chase there more than two years back - and again last Friday.
With Riddell in the saddle, Sharrock sent Stitched on a 4900m refresher course - twice over the Ellerslie hill - and was thrilled with the results.
"I couldn't be happier with him - he's spot on," said Sharrock.
"I'm not perturbed at all about him not having a race in between the National at all."
While Pakuranga Hunt Cup winner Hypnotize is the obvious form threat to the big-race win Sharrock wants on his CV, last year's winner Real Tonic could end up the party-spoiler.
Trainer John Wheeler is thrilled with the progress the 11-year-old has made since his tune-up for fourth behind Hypnotize on August 25.
"I'm just as confident as last year with him," said Wheeler yesterday.
"It's a lot of weight (67.5kg), and at the end of the day that might stop him.
"But it's going to take a pretty good horse to beat him."
* You have to feel for Cambridge trainer Anne Browne tomorrow.
Her usual onslaught of Northern hopes has been cut to just one, the out-of-form The Storytella after injuries to Fairy King and Primo Canera.
