Te Akau Shark (outside) finishing a narrow second to Kolding in the Epsom Handicap (Image: Bradley Photos)
Te Akau Shark used up all his luck getting into Saturday's $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) field because he had none reserved for the barrier draw.
The Jamie Richards-trained five-year-old gelding has won five of his nine starts but is winless at Group 1 level.
Yet his last-start second in the G1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 5 was enough to propel him into the field ahead of Humidor, a last-start G1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) placegetter that has been placed in the past two Cox Plates.
But when the time came to selecting barriers, Te Akau Shark's name was last out of the barrel with the outside barrier of 18 only left. Te Akau Shark will move into gate 14 after the removal of emergencies.
"We were struggling to make the field and then they give us the outside barrier," Richards said, struggling to hide his disappointment with a sullen facial expression.
"It makes things very difficult, especially his first time at weight-for-age as well. He's going to have to be at his ultimate best we've ever seen.
"We'll do our best. We'll have a nice tail to follow in the Japanese mare (Lys Gracieux) anyhow.
"The horse worked well here this morning, he appreciates a bit of room and usually gets back.
"I think around The Valley a little bit of room will suit him and hopefully gain a bit of momentum down the side."
Te Akau Shark is a $21 chance to win the Cox Plate with BetEasy with Lys Gracieux the $3.40 favourite despite also drawing wide in barrier 15, barrier 11 after the removal of the four emergencies.
$5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) – The Valley, Saturday
1. BLACK HEART BART (Lindsey Smith), B.Rawiller (11), 59kg
2. AVILIUS (James Cummings), K.McEvoy (7), 59kg
3. KLUGER (Tomokazu Takano), T.Berry (9), 59kg
4. HARLEM (David Hayes, Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig), D.Dunn (2), 59k
5. HOMESMAN (Liam Howley), B.Melham (16), 59kg
6. KINGS WILL DREAM (Chris Waller), H.Bowman (17), 59kg
7. TE AKAU SHARK (Jamie Richards), O.Bosson (18), 59kg
8. DANCETERIA (David Menuisier), J.Spencer (10), 59kg
9. LYS GRACIEUX (Yoshito Yahagi), D.Lane (15), 57kg
10. MAGIC WAND (Aidan O'Brien), R.Moore (3), 57kg
11. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (David Hayes, Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig), M.Zahra (8), 56.5kg
12. MYSTIC JOURNEY (Adam Trinder), A.Darmanin (6), 55.5kg
13. VERRY ELLEEGANT (Chris Waller), J.McDonald (5), 55.5kg
14. CASTELVECCHIO (Richard Litt), C.Williams (4), 49.5kg
- - - Emergencies - - -
15. HUMIDOR (Ciaron Maher & David Eustace), , (14), 59kg
16. MR QUICKIE (Phillip Stokes), G.Boss (12), 57.5kg
17. GAILO CHOP (Matthew Williams), D.Oliver (1), 59kg
18. DREAM CASTLE (Saeed bin Suroor), P.Cosgrave (13), 59kg