NEWCASTLE jockey Ash Morgan is leaving nothing to chance in his bid to snare
the richest race of his career at the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Morgan continues his association with unbeaten Newcastle colt Private Harry in the $3m Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m), a new slot race for three-year-olds restricted to 12 runners.
He will fly from Sydney to the Gold Coast tomorrow evening after riding at Canterbury, by passing meetings at Muswellbrook on Thursday and Port Macquarie on Friday, to be on hand to give trainer Nathan Doyle’s exciting young sprinter a “spin around” on Thursday and Friday mornings.
There will surely be no fitter jockey riding in the Sunlight than Morgan, who will have competed at seven NSW meetings in a row once he completes his Canterbury engagements.
Morgan rode at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day, Canberra last Friday, Randwick again the following day, Port Macquarie last Sunday, Orange yesterday and the Gosford Guineas meeting held at Wyong today.
“It’s been a very busy Christmas period, and I’ve ridden a few nice winners,” he said this evening.
“I wanted to freshen up for a couple of days and be there at the Gold Coast to canter Private Harry at the track both mornings.”
Morgan has partnered the colt in several workouts at Broadmeadow, including a Beaumont gallop this morning, since the pair combined for a city debut success at Rosehill Gardens on December 7 in a 3YO Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) on soft ground.
“He hasn’t gone backwards; if anything I feel he has improved,” Morgan said.
“I was thinking about the barrier draw, and hoping he would draw 3, 4 or 5.
“He drew barrier four, and that’s perfect.
“It’s perfect the way the race appears to map out.”
Morgan is no stranger to riding at the Gold Coast, but was pleased to pick up a couple of bookings, including Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer’s Drums Of War, prior to Private Harry’s 8.15pm assignment (NSW time) at the twilight meeting.
“It will give me the chance to see how the track is playing prior to riding Private Harry,” the dual NSW premiership winning jockey said.
Morgan has ridden 47 winners so far this season (including an Orange double yesterday), and has competed only once previously in a $3m race, at Randwick on November 5 when he finished eighth on Newcastle trainer Paul Perry’s $21 chance Sky Lab in The Big Dance (1600m). After being favorite for the Sunlight a few weeks back before the entire field had been finalised, Private Harry is now at $8 with TAB.com.au.
Golden Slipper Stakes winner Lady Of Camelot (Blake Shinn) drew the rails barrier and is a $2.50 favorite, ahead of Victorian filly Arabian Summer (Harry Coffey), who is on the second line of betting at $5.
She wasn’t as fortunate as Lady Of Camelot and Private Harry, and will jump from 11 in the 12-horse line-up.
Wyong trainer Sara Ryan was the sole provincial winner at her home track today.
Ryan won the Class 1 Handicap (1625m) with $3.40 second favorite How Much Better, ridden by Andrew Adkins.
Adkins took the race by the scruff of the neck at a vital stage by sending How Much Better to the front, and the gelding thereafter never looked in danger, posting the second success of his eight-start career.
Leading Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price were successful at the corresponding New Year’s Eve meeting at Nowra.
The father and son team landed the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1600m) with $6.50 chance Mega Fight, who took 17 starts to break through and has now put two wins on end in the bank.
Story by John Curtis, 31 December, 2024.
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