"The young fella riding him [Amless Bohorun] has ridden well for me and I think from barrier one he can trail Deerfield and get his chance. We will find out how he is going."
Tavi Mac's topweight isn't the only weighty issue for Sharrock at the New Plymouth meeting that is the only northern thoroughbred meeting on Saturday before Sunday's Great Northern fixture at Te Rapa.
He also trains Justaskme in the rescheduled $60,000 Interprovincial, in which he will bizarrely carry saddlecloth eight even though he is the clear topweight with 62kg.
The reason is so the horses can be listed in order of the provinces they are supposedly representing but it just makes things confusing for punters, whose need for consistency in information should always trump novelty ideas.
Justaskme steps up to 1800m for the first time but the way he hits the line over shorter trips suggests that shouldn't be a major factor and he also claims 3kg on a track Sharrock says could get back to the soft range.
He beat two class gallopers in Hypnos and Vernanme on a soft track over 1600m last November so he can win but the big field means he will still need luck because of his "get back and swoop" racing style.
Sharrock also has smart mare Aricina in the race and believes she could get down to 52kg with her claim so may be receiving 7kg from Justaskme.
"That will even things out a bit but I'd still favour him over her."
For all the talents of his stars in the richest races, Sharrock rates Fleming (R3, No 3) as his best of the day.
"He is a good horse," he says of the impressive debut winner. "He worked very well with Tavi Mac on Tuesday and that might make him a little bit too good for most in a rating 65."
