By Craig Kerry
Newcastle-based Welsh jockey Ash Morgan had the loyalty of trainer Nathan Doyle and owners Kurrinda Bloodstock to thank after scoring his biggest win when boom colt Private Harry dominated the $3 million Sunlight slot race.
Now Morgan hopes to honour another supporter who helped him on his way with a win at Wyong on Saturday.
Ash Morgan riding Private Harry to victory at Rosehill.Credit: Getty Images
Morgan, who came to Australia to resurrect his riding career in 2018, had his greatest moment in racing last Saturday night when taking Private Harry to victory in the new Magic Millions race on the Sunshine Coast. Before that, Morgan’s richest race win was aboard Iowna Merc in the $200,000 Canterbury Sprint.
While he won’t match the thrill of Private Harry’s victory this Saturday, Morgan will hunt a special win with Magnatear in the Midway Handicap.
Magnatear, a $4.20 Sportsbet favourite, was part-owned and trained by Newcastle’s Sam Kavanagh, who died last month after a battle with cancer.
In his first run since moving to the Richard and Will Freedman stable, Magnatear was a fighting second under Kerrin McEvoy in a Midway at Randwick two weeks ago. Morgan hopes to go one better at Wyong.
“It was a good run last start, and he seems to be getting better with age,” he said.
“I rode him when he bolted in in his maiden and I almost won a Midway on him at Randwick.
“It would be nice to get a win on him. I was close to Sam, so it would be good to ride a winner in his colours and for the connections.
“He was a good supporter of mine and I rode a few winners for him. He put me on Aramayo in The Hunter, then The Ingham, where he ran fourth, and then a stakes race in Queensland. He was one of the first to put me on horses in those bigger races. He was really good in helping me on my way.”
Morgan has seven rides at Wyong, including Bjorn Baker-Darby Racing favourites Iowna Merc (race four) and Sandpaper (race nine). He partners the Peter Snowden-trained Touristic ($51) in the $500,000 The Lakes.
“I was supposed to ride Chorlton Lane, which would have been a good chance, but they’ve gone elsewhere,” he said.
“I’ve got the ride on Touristic, and this is probably short of his best, but it should be a wet track and that brings him into it.”
A two-time NSW premiership winner, Morgan has carved out a successful career on the provincial and country circuits, but he hopes to become a regular in town.
“I’m going to focus on trying to ride in Sydney every week and stabilise myself there,” he said. “I’ve had a few wins there so hopefully I can keep in there, but it’s a tough gig.”
