rdytdy 5,343 Report post Posted June 23, 2012 Another gem of a ride again today Harry – The Ride of My Life by Noel Harris with Wally O’Hearn 13 Jun 2012 ‘There is no one quite like Harry. He smokes so heavily he should have a chimney stuck in his head, he drinks like a fish and eats like a sparrow, and yet he defies medical science. He is a spectacular rider.’ Leading trainer John Wheeler. Noel Harris – aka ‘Handbrake Harry’ – is a New Zealand sporting legend. In a professional age where longevity in sport is measured in single years, ‘Harry’ is an absolute freak. Incredibly, he rode his first winner back in 1970 and is still kicking them home more than 40 years later. This is a ride that just keeps on keeping on. A colourful, and sometimes outlandish character, Noel has always stood out for his singular riding style, his optimism, commitment, sense of humour and straight-shooting sincerity. Horse racing is a game of wins and losses, highs and lows, and in Harry  The Ride of My Life, Noel takes us on the rollercoaster, from growing up in Woodville in a racing family through to wild times in Singapore, the rides and races of the New Zealand and Australian racing calendars, and the trials, tribulations and triumphs of staying at the top in a tough game. An unparalleled career that has spanned five decades  this is the inside story of one of New Zealand’s great racing personalities. About Wally O’ Hearn Wally O’ Hearn has been a racing journalist initially with Best Bets/Sunday News, and then later with the New Zealand Herald, Auckland Sun and for 18 years, the Friday Flash. Harry – The Ride of My Life by Noel Harris with Wally O’Hearn Published by Hodder Moa 1 August 2012 $44.99 RRP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonmccook 26 Report post Posted June 23, 2012 Had to laugh at his comment when interviewed on trackside. " Had to get her out into the better sh**" classic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phar Lap Fan 104 Report post Posted June 24, 2012 he should be a certainty as would David Walsh. Do they have to retire first? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dopey 214 Report post Posted June 24, 2012 he should be a certainty as would David Walsh. Do they have to retire first? Link to current Jockey's in Hall of Fame. http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/Inductee-Videos/People/Jockeys Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrofold 147 Report post Posted June 24, 2012 Another gem of a ride again today ] I will have to buy/read it. Thanks to NJ Harris fondly known as Handbrake Harry, I owe him for my biggest each way collect off a thoroughbred. Does he mention Centrofold? (The horse, of course). Does he mention how she was the rank outsider of the field? (Easter Saturday 1997 @ Ellerslie over 1600m). People must have forgotten her good run in the Avondale Cup prior to that race. That was a gem of a ride. I have been meaning to thank him but never got close enough to do so in person. He is likely to turn around and say "that's what I am paid to do". His ride yesterday on Marea Alta reminded me so much of that particular ride. As for A Fieldes, what a gem of a bloke he is too. Good on them, I say. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdytdy 5,343 Report post Posted June 24, 2012 I remember the race Jane. Absolutely blitzed them with a paralysing late run and ran a good time that day also. My wife and I went over to watch Noel ride Marea Alta yesterday and before the races started he was concerned that the track would be too puggy/sticky for her. He had a couple of rides in the first two races and said that they were able to get through it but the track was quite deep. After the ride on Lancaden which was before the cup he said that they still able to get through it but again the deepness was affecting the horses. I had been taking note of how the horses were coping with the track and particularly noticed that in the straight the horses right on the outside were hitting the line better. I said to Noel, "make sure that you are the widest horse from the 600m and you will get home best." We went upstairs with Kylie, Noel's wife to watch the race and we were really worried as she was not coping the ground at all where she was and if you look at the race video at the 800m she was back second last and under a ride. There was no way she was going to win. I kept yelling, "get to the outside, get to the outside." At the 600m he angled her out into the better ground and she immediately travelled up a ton better and was able to improve around the them. Still back and very wide turning in she let down in the best part of the track and ran down a brave Indikator carrying 5kgs more and on her inner. That weight difference and the better ground out wide was the winning of the race. We made a bit of noise cheering her home that's for sure and there were some happy faces in the birdcage when he brought her back to scale. Kylie said that I should be on 10% of the riding fee I replied, "Youv'e got some spending money now for your holiday in Raratonga this week." And wasn't ARA emotional in his victory speech. Shades of Chris Waller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrofold 147 Report post Posted June 24, 2012 Great story Ted. I can't wait to read the book. I am sure there are many stories that people can tell about NJ. I did not see the race live and therefore missed ARA's being interviewed, so I will take your word on that. Wow! you remember the race I was talking about. Yep, she came around the cape tailing the field. Need I say I was as nervous as anything. My brother turned to me and said "Don't worry Jane, she has NJ aboard and if anyone can win a 1600m race on a horse like her NJ can. I had grip of my brothers arm, just about cutting the blood supply off NJ let the handbrake off as he has done on so many other occassions and the rest as they say, is history. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wph 49 Report post Posted June 25, 2012 Great story Ted. I can't wait to read the book. I am sure there are many stories that people can tell about NJ. I did not see the race live and therefore missed ARA's being interviewed, so I will take your word on that. Wow! you remember the race I was talking about. Yep, she came around the cape tailing the field. Need I say I was as nervous as anything. My brother turned to me and said "Don't worry Jane, she has NJ aboard and if anyone can win a 1600m race on a horse like her NJ can. I had grip of my brothers arm, just about cutting the blood supply off NJ let the handbrake off as he has done on so many other occassions and the rest as they say, is history. Jane, just a correction...think you will find it is "N.G. Harris" not "N.J". Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrofold 147 Report post Posted June 25, 2012 Jane, just a correction...think you will find it is "N.G. Harris" not "N.J". Cheers Yes it is..... thanks and sorry Noel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
