By Craig Kerry
Ash Morgan can’t hide his smile when the prospect of riding Private Harry to victory in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot next year is brought up.
The Welshman left the UK, where he worked in real estate after riding opportunities dried up, seven years ago to resurrect his career in Australia.
Ash Morgan celebrates victory on Private Harry in the Galaxy.Credit: Getty Images
“I rode one winner at Ascot; it wasn’t at the carnival, but I won a two-year-old race there,” Morgan said.
“Australia’s been amazing to me, so it would be great to go back [to the UK] on a horse like him, and if I could ride a group 1 winner at Ascot, it would be a good end to the story anyway.”
The Nathan Doyle-trained Private Harry gave Morgan a maiden group 1 win in the Galaxy last month and is locked in for a run in the $20 million The Everest in October. Kurrinda Bloodstock, which bought the colt for $115,000 as a yearling, hopes to then conquer Ascot before he retires to stud with new part-owners Yulong.
Ash Morgan salutes on Private Harry in their group 1 Galaxy win on March 22.Credit: Getty Images
The success of Private Harry, which includes victory in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight, has been part of a breakthrough period for Morgan, who had his first stakes win in the Canterbury Sprint (Iowna Merc) on New Year’s Day. The group 3 Parramatta Cup (Our Anchorage) and $1 million Provincial-Midway Championships Final (Matcha Latte) followed. He heads To Rockhampton to ride Iowna Merc in the $775,000 The Archer on May 4.
The 34-year-old, though, knows not to take anything for granted, especially in racing.
“I’ve had 82 winners this season, 140 last year … I rode one winner in my last season in England,” he said. “I rode for seven months, rode one winner, and had about 30 rides.
“I’d never ridden in a group 1 until the Epsom last year, and I think I’ve had seven or eight now, so it’s amazing really.
“I don’t take it for granted how well things are going. I know the show rolls on here, and it’s very hectic, but every day is a blessing. I know where I’ve come from.
Ash Morgan after winning on the Sara Ryan-trained Matcha Latte in the Provincial-Midway Championships Final at Randwick on April 12.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m happy to have had my success at an older age because you do appreciate it more.
“I feel like now I’ve had a good carnival and a good three or four months, I can put my hand up for the better rides this time of year rather than picking up the leftovers.”
Morgan has spent six of his seven years in Australia based in Newcastle, but he is eyeing a move to Sydney to capitalise on his hot run.
“The plan is maybe to feel my way for the next month or so, then maybe look to move down,” he said.
“I just want to be at all the trial mornings and track work when I’m needed straight away rather than having to organise my week around doing it.
“I do Bjorn [Baker] and Ciaron [Maher] at Warwick Farm and just out at Bong Bong. I went into [Mick] Price and [Michael] Kent [jnr] the other day, so I’m getting my way around, but I could do with doing it three or four times a week rather than once or twice.”
He is focused on Sydney chances in the coming months and hopes another talent in Kurrinda Bloodstock colours, Hidden Motive, can help his cause on Saturday at Randwick in the 1100m two-year-old race to start the program. The Doyle-trained Capitalist colt was fourth in the Breeders Plate in October but has had just one start since, finishing a close second to Aerodrome at Warwick Farm on April 16.
“We went to Warwick Farm really confident and were disappointed to get beat, but not disappointed in him,” Morgan said. “I think he ran a really good race, and he bumped into a horse that looks really progressive.
“I galloped him Tuesday morning, and I feel like he came on a lot from that run. He’s got a lot of upside. I’d be surprised if he didn’t end up as a stakes horse.”
Hidden Motive is a $4.40 second favourite behind Beskar ($2.10) with Sportsbet.
Morgan, joint leader in the NSW jockey premiership with 82 wins before Thursday, also has Zampano ($7.50) as a genuine chance in the Highway Handicap. On Friday, he has four rides, highlighted by Piperita in the seventh, on the Anzac Day program on the Kensington track.
