By Craig Kerry
At the start of this season, getting the ride on an early favourite in a stakes race in town would have been a major moment for Ash Morgan.
But then again, at the start of the season, the Newcastle-based Welshman was thinking about packing his bags and going home to the UK as well.
Ash Morgan after securing a winning treble at Randwick on June 7 with victory on Millie De Lune.Credit: Getty Images
Now a group 1-winning, in-demand jockey in Sydney, Morgan will look to add to his “incredible” season with a sixth stakes victory when he rides Glory Daze in the listed WJ McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
All five of Morgan’s Australian stakes wins have come this year, after riding Iowna Merc to victory in the listed Canterbury Sprint on New Year’s Day. The real turning point, though, came on November 2 when he took Private Harry to his maiden win at Newcastle. The Nathan Doyle-trained colt remains unbeaten in five starts, giving Morgan his biggest wins, in the group 1 Galaxy and $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight, and changing his life in the process.
“It’s been incredible,” Morgan said.
“Before Harry won his maiden, I was thinking I might just pack my bags up and go home. Then I won the maiden on him and I thought, no, I better stay a bit longer.
Ash Morgan salutes on Private Harry in their group 1 Galaxy win on March 22.Credit: Getty Images
“But there was a time I was thinking that. My daughter is at home, in Ireland, and I’m thinking, what am I doing?
“I was riding plenty of winners, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do, but then he won his maiden and there was a reason to stay.”
His daughter, five-year-old River, is visiting in August and October, giving Morgan a boost as he focuses on the preparation of Private Harry for the $20 million The Everest on October 18 at Randwick, and capitalising on his breakout season.
“I’m just trying to keep it going,” he said.
“Coming up to the carnival, especially riding light at 52kg, I just want to keep my head in it.
“While Private Harry is there, I’ll stay in Newcastle, but I could probably do with another couple of days in Sydney each week. There’s a few stables I’m riding for who I haven’t done much work for at home, so I’d like to do more just to cement it a bit more.
“I’ve had two sits on Harry. He’s fresh, and he’s massive. He was always big, but I got on him on Tuesday and he felt like a giant, and he worked really good.”
Morgan gets to Sydney regularly to ride work for trainer Ciaron Maher, who prepares Glory Daze, which is battling Elamaz for favouritism in the McKell Cup at $4.60 (Sportsbet). He could have partnered Semana for Maher in the season’s final group 1, the Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm, but he chose a big book of rides at Rosehill.
“With Glory Daze, I would be really confident if it was a wet track, but it’s still been running well, and I remember Nash [Rawiller] won on it on a soft 5,” he said.
“I was going to ride it in the Ipswich Cup, but this will be the first time I’ll be sitting on it.”
Glory Daze revelled in heavy going when winning a benchmark 88 at Randwick on May 24. He then finished third in the Lord Mayors Cup, again on a heavy track over 2000m, this time at Rosehill, a week later.
Morgan also rides Lady Boss ($7.50) and Berezka ($19) for Maher, both from gate one, in the fourth and fifth races.
“Lady Boss has been running well and it’s drawn soft, which I think is key for that horse,” he said.
“Berezka, I galloped her the other day, and she worked really well.”
The Bjorn Baker-trained Puntin ($3.80) in the third (1400m) looks his best chance. Morgan had two wins on the three-year-old last preparation but missed his first up second at Canterbury.
“I was meant to ride him the other day, but I got caught in traffic, so I was glad to get back on him,” he said.
“I really like him and I thought his run was huge the other day over 1250 [metres], which is too short for him. It’s a really nice race for him.”
He also rides The Extreme Cat ($11) for Doyle, Kazalark ($15), Unstopabull ($10) and Step Aside ($7) for Chris Waller and Mormona ($10) for the Archibalds.
Morgan, who has won two NSW premierships in seven years here, sits on 100 winners this season, just one off leaders Aaron Bullock and Braith Nock. Morgan shares the same manager as Bullock.
“It’s funny, my manager asked me the other day if I wanted to win it, and I said I’m not fussed, so he said we’ll win it with Aaron then,” he said.
