By MICHAEL GUERIN
Lynn Neal didn't even bother wiping the tears away.
She had worked all her life to cry like this after a race like this. She had always wanted to taste tears like these.
From her days as a little girl helping her father Frank Bebbington train horses in the South Island she has dreamed one day she would be sitting behind an Auckland Cup winner.
And now here she was, as stunned as most people who had just seen Flight South, a mare who wouldn't have made the race but for the scratching of Classic Turbo, beat the kings of harness racing.
People who have lived their whole lives in harness racing dream of nights like last night, of nights where against all odds you beat the Purdons, the Butts and the names who have dominated this industry.
The night you steal the pedestal away.
And when you have realised your dream there is little left you can do but cry those tears of joy.
"This is unbelievable," said Neal as her husband fought for the race in the inquiry room.
"I know he will hold the race because he didn't do anything wrong."
She was right.
"It was the proudest moment of our careers just to have her in the cup. But to win it, I don't believe it is happened."
The dream which started in childhood first became a possibility when the Cambridge couple heard their phone ring at 7.30 am yesterday.
Lynn Neal jokingly said to her husband that would be the Auckland Trotting Club ringing to say Flight South had made her way back into the field.
She was right again.
The dream was starting to look not so far-fetched when Flight South made a stunning beginning to lead early then settle into an economical trip along the markers.
And the dream became a reality as Flight South used the energy she had saved early to overhaul tiring giant Yulestar in the final 50m, holding off the desperate challenge of Pocket Me.
Her achievement mirrored that of Kate's First, who three years ago also won the Auckland Cup as only a class seven mare, three wins short of open class.
And capping the dream for the Neals was the fact they own one-third of the mare who has now guaranteed not only her place in harness racing history but her future career as a broodmare.
"We knew she could do it and I am so proud of her and so proud of Andrew," said Lynn.
While the win rocked punters, many were feeling pretty good soon after the start when favourite Yulestar made a blistering beginning to hit the front after 600m, from where he maintained a steady pace.
He was challenged over the last lap by Holmes D G who lost 40m in his early gallop.
Just as Yulestar saw off that danger, his month away from the race track started to take its toll and with heavy legs he was left a sitting duck for the late charge of the winners.
His driver Tony Shaw was left lamenting Yulestar's slightly affected preparation while Holmes D G's trainer-driver Barry Purdon was left wondering what might have been had Holmes D G stepped on terms with his opponents.
And as for Courage Under Fire's trainer-driver Brian Hancock, he was left with little to think about as the fallen idol galloped and was never a chance.
But last night was not about the superstars and the favourites.
It was about a little mare from Cambridge with no friends on the tote but a training couple who never lost sight of their dream.
Racing: Tears fall as mare realises a dream
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