It may have taken a few more races than expected but there couldn’t have been a more fitting result for local trainer Allan Sharrock as his great mate Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed) provided his mentor with his 1000th New Zealand win in the training ranks at New Plymouth on Saturday.
Sharrock entered the day on 999 victories and was confidently expected to pick up victory in one of the opening races on the card, however, he had to play the bridesmaid role as Tisse (NZ) (Belardo), Bella Timing (NZ) (Time Test) and Indian Gold (NZ) (Ocean Park) all filled the runner-up position in their respective events.
By the time the fifth event on the card rolled around many were thinking this wasn’t to be Sharrock’s day, however, the nine-year-old warhorse Justaskme wasn’t having any of that as he produced a typical dogged effort to come from last in the hands of apprentice Rihaan Goyaram to collect career win number 13 and his sixth on his home patch.
Despite settling last of the nine runners, Justaskme travelled sweetly in the testing Heavy10 track conditions on offer with Goyaram setting him alight at the 800m to circle the field out wide and hit the front turning for home.
Justaskme was resolute in his desire and held all challengers at bay as he coasted home to win the Makita 1800 by just on three lengths from Soldier Boy (NZ) (Proisir), who chased hard down the straight, along with third-placed runner Sacred Pearl (NZ) (Sacred Falls).
Sharrock, who numbers 75 Group and Listed wins amongst his 1000 win tally with horses of the calibre of Grout (NZ) (Gold Brose), Kawi (NZ) (Savabeel), Wahid (NZ) (Almutawakel), Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar) and Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed), admitted he had been worried when he couldn’t take a trick earlier in the day.
“He’s been a grand horse for me, my brother and one of my best mates in Kempy (Tony Kemp),” Sharrock said.
“I came in here all confident and got kicked and kicked and kicked, and I thought this isn’t going the way I saw it.
“I had been having a few words to the jockey (Goyaram) throughout the day and I asked him if he had done any video footage and he said to me he was going to ride him like Johnathan Parkes and be into him at the 800m and he did.
“We’ll go home and watch the rugby tonight but I’d say we will have a proper event with all my friends and colleagues to celebrate.”
Bred by Sharrock, who co-owns him with his brother Bruce and former Kiwi rugby league international Tony Kemp, Justaskme has now won 13 of his 48 starts and more than $538,000 in prizemoney.
