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.
โIโm just trying to keep it going,โ he said.
โComing up to the carnival, especially riding light at 52kg, I just want to keep my head in it.
โWhile Private Harry is there, Iโll stay in Newcastle, but I could probably do with another couple of days in Sydney each week. Thereโs a few stables Iโm riding for who I havenโt done much work for at home, so Iโd like to do more just to cement it a bit more.
โIโve had two sits on Harry. Heโs fresh, and heโs massive. He was always big, but I got on him on Tuesday and he felt like a giant, and he worked really good.โ
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 seasonโs final group 1, the Tattโs Tiara at Eagle Farm, but he chose a big book of rides at Rosehill.
โWith Glory Daze, I would be really confident if it was a wet track, but itโs still been running well, and I remember Nash [Rawiller] won on it on a soft 5,โ he said.
โI was going to ride it in the Ipswich Cup, but this will be the first time Iโll be sitting on it.โ
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.
โLady Boss has been running well and itโs drawn soft, which I think is key for that horse,โ he said.
โBerezka, I galloped her the other day, and she worked really well.โ
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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.
โI was meant to ride him the other day, but I got caught in traffic, so I was glad to get back on him,โ he said.
โI really like him and I thought his run was huge the other day over 1250 [metres], which is too short for him. Itโs a really nice race for him.โ
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.
โItโs funny, my manager asked me the other day if I wanted to win it, and I said Iโm not fussed, so he said weโll win it with Aaron then,โ he said.
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