Harris keen for more

The imminent release of his autobiography and the chance to partner Marea Alta to backto-back Taumarunui Cup wins on the last raceday of the northern season had flagged the possibility of the end of an era for champion jockey Noel Harris.

But the man himself isn’t having a bar of any talk of retirement.

Harris, 57, will partner Marea Alta in today’s Listed $50,000 Kiwifruit Cup (2100m) at Tauranga and is confident of adding to a long and illustrious list of stakes wins accumulated over a career of more than 40 years.

His autobiography Harry: The Ride of My Life, written with Matamata racing journalist Wally O’Hearn, is set for release next month and there had been talk that when the book comes out, the jockey would call time on his career.

‘‘I’m still enjoying it and I’m actually looking forward to O’Fille, Galaxy Star and Ginner Hart coming back in the spring,’’ Harris said.

‘‘There’s three nice rides for starters. I can probably go through the summer anyway and just decide then. I’ve had 17 winners this year from a couple of hundred rides and I’ve won just under half a million in stakes so I’m going all right.

‘‘[Retirement] isn’t far away, but I’d like to go through the summer then play it by ear. One day I might just wake up and say, ‘that’s it, I’m finished’.’’

Harris, who replied to the query of his age with ‘‘57 mate, spring chicken’’, has been nothing less than a riding phenomenon.

However, his season record is lacking a stakes win – perhaps for the first time in 40 years – and it’s on Harris’ mind to put that straight today.

His mount, Whanganui mare Marea Alta, has the credentials to win.

Prepared by Harris’ biggest fan, Alexander Fieldes, Marea Alta has won six of her 26 starts – five of them coming from 11 starts on slow or heavy tracks.