Rider Troy Harris had a lapful of horse as he angled into the clear at the 300m where Tavi Mac dashed to the front and cleared out from his rivals, eventually posting a one and a half-length winning margin over Callsign Mav with southern mare Kiwi Ida taking third. Sharrock makes no secret of the affection he holds for his pint-sized poster boy. “He has a special place in my heart, this horse,” Sharrock said. “He’s not the best horse I’ve ever trained, but he is the toughest I’ve ever laid a hand on. “The tenacity he shows every time he lines up is just amazing.