KEY POINTS:
The horses in one of the main races at Ellerslie today are all 2-year-olds _ but the jockeys range from the young to the, well, not-so-young.
At just 16, James McDonald will be the freshest face in the starting gates on Auckland Cup Week's final day.
At the
other end of the age spectrum is Noel Harris, who is still riding at the front of the field aged 53.
"To still be doing it at the elite level at 53 is an extraordinary achievement," said Auckland Racing Club's director of racing Andrew "Butch" Castles. "These guys, they've got to be physically fit _ they have to be mentally hardened."
Castles credited McDonald's young success to his early start.
"He's been riding since he could walk, pretty much."
McDonald, who is in his first season and will be an apprentice until he's 20, has plenty of respect for the old guard.
"I respect [Harris] most out of all the jockeys. He's a great sportsman and is very talented," the teenager told the Weekend Herald.
Harris _ who, like McDonald, started riding at 15 _ reckoned he still felt like an 18-year-old until he looked in the mirror.
"I've got a young heart, just an old body."
Harris, whose son Troy has followed him into the business, made no secret of lessons learned during almost 40 years of riding. He said the young ones sometimes just tried too hard, and he told them to take it easy.
"Everybody has a roll: sometimes things are going good, other times it's going bad. And you've just got to take it as it comes," said Harris, who has ridden to victory in the New Zealand Cup four times.
"When you're young, when you're 15, you're in a man's world. You're talking to owners who are 20 or 30 years older than you. It makes you grow up quick."
McDonald, who had one of his best rides this week when he won the Westbury Classic on Special Mission on Auckland Cup Day, wasn't too sure if he'd still be riding into his 50s.
"I'd be lucky to _ I dunno, if my weight shoots up I probably won't be."
JAMES McDONALD
Age: 16
Weight: 48kg
Glory tune: Justin Timberlake's Sexy Back
NOEL HARRIS
Age: 53
Weight: 55kg
Glory tune: Barry White's Can't Get Enough of Your Love