Ashley Morgan just completed an incredible 10-day stretch of race riding.
The Welshman successfully travelled all over the state during this stretch, riding three trebles and a quartet of victories on his way to 14 wins from 32 rides.
Starting in Port Macquarie on Monday, May 29, Morgan booted home a treble of wins, riding a double for Mark Minervini on Bubbles For Me ($5) and Astral Thoughts ($4.60), while he won on the Nathan Doyle-trained Sandpiper ($7).
At Dubbo on Friday, he landed another treble, this time winning on the Mack Griffith-trained Johnny Dash ($2.90), Brett Cavanough-trained Clifton Springs ($4.80), and Darren Hyde-trained Arion Story ($7).
Two days later, the 33-year-old was at Muswellbrook on Sunday, and surprise, surprise, he registered another treble when winning on the Matthew Smith-trained Mon Pierre ($3.40) and World Alliance ($1.50) while winning the Aberdeen Cup on the Cavanough-trained Rising ($2.45).
He only took three rides at Bathurst on Monday but rode a winner on the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Kiribati ($2.05).
Saving his best for last, Morgan picked up his quartet of winners at Armidale on Tuesday and landed his 400th career winner in the process.
He won two for local trainer Stirling Osland when guiding Lost Media ($2.35) and Blue Canasta ($1.60) to victory. He also brought up wins on the Cameron Crockett-trained Devilicious ($1.45) and Melissa Dennett-trained Vis I Do ($3.20).
Morgan, who won the NSW jockey’s premiership in 2021/22 when riding 136 winners, believes his current form trumped his efforts last season.
“I reckon it’s the best run I’ve ever been on,” Morgan said.
“Last year, I had prolonged decent form, and I was never too much out of form, but I don’t think I was ever in the winning form I’m in now.
“I came back on May 15, and I’ve ridden 22 winners since then; it’s a crazy run, and I’ve had a lot of good rides.”
Morgan recently spent time in Queensland, but he’s back in NSW and happy to be linking back up with some familiar faces.
“Many of them trainers like Stirling (Osland), they support me, and whenever I go to those meetings, it’s good to be able to hit up those contacts, and they throw me some better rides, and we’re lucky that we always seem to get a result,” Morgan said.
Riding doubles and trebles isn’t new to the in-form hoop, but his Armidale quartet broke a run of ‘near misses’.
“The last month, out of the three trebles I’ve ridden, with my last ride, I’ve been beaten a short-neck or half a head, and I’ve gone close but not got the four winners,” Morgan said.
“At Armidale, I had a good book of rides, and all of them were top-two in the market, and if I was ever going to ride four, it was going to be a good chance at Armidale.”
When asked about his recent form and what had him travelling all over the state, Morgan mentioned that he was about to serve a suspension, which will have him out of action until later this month.
“I had that month in Brisbane, but I’m back here now, and with a suspension coming up, which starts Monday, I told my manager (Drew Smith), I don’t care where I go, I’ll ride everywhere until I serve my suspension,” Morgan said.
“I love being busy and enjoy going to the races, and after a bit of a freshen-up, I was ready to get into it.”
Unfortunately for the Welshman, he might not get to bring up a second-consecutive century of winners.
After his premiership success last season, Morgan celebrated by travelling and riding overseas, but it meant he missed the start of this season.
After his hot run of form, he is up to 77 wins in 2022/23, and while he initially thought his imminent suspension was a chance to take a break, he conceded it would likely stop him from bringing up what would have been an incredible 100-win season in just eight months of riding.
“At first, I thought the time off would be a good thing, and I could freshen up, but now I’m on 77 winners, and I missed that big chunk at the beginning of the season, and I would have liked to get to 100, but it might be tough to do.”
Morgan will look to ‘go all out’ in season 2023/24 and try and break into the metropolitan jockey ranks.
“I won’t be back in Queensland; I just feel like Queensland is not busy enough for me, only riding three days (a week) in the Brisbane area, and maybe it is something I’ll do later in my career when I start to settle down,” Morgan said.
“I’ve got five in Sydney this Saturday, and they are five good rides, and that’s my aim, to ride in town.
“Whether it is starting at the mid-weeks, but that’s where I want to base myself, but I need to keep riding winners, whether that’s in the bush, the provincials, or the city.”
All eyes will be on Morgan to continue his excellent form this week as he rides at Gosford on Thursday, Tamworth on Friday, and Royal Randwick on Saturday.
