Ash Morgan rides high into premiership finish, Hedges pacer denied payback

Morgan had a winning double at Grafton on Wednesday, including the Guineas with Rapt for Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer, to rise to 135.5 victories in NSW this season. Newcastle's Aaron Bullock leads on 137 but is sidelined with a broken collarbone from a fall last Saturday.

With 13 days left in the season, Morgan looks a safe bet to get the title, but a six-day suspension starting on Sunday could make it tight. He has Friday's Tamworth program and Rosehill on Saturday before returning the following Saturday and riding on potentially four of the final five days of the season.

Regardless of the outcome, the Welshman had already surpassed goals and personal bests this campaign. He won the 2021-22 NSW premiership with 136 winners - a mark he has equalled with close to 200 less rides.

"It's been a good year," Morgan said. "The only goal I have numbers-wise is to ride 100 winners, then I just wanted to improve prizemoney.

"I think the year I won the premiership, I'm nearly a million in front of that with the same amount of winners, so I just wanted to get better quality wise, just improve and get as high as I can, so it's been good."

And while the injury to Bullock, last season's Australian premiership winner, had opened the door for Morgan to finish on top in NSW, he was hoping to see him back soon.

"Hopefully he's not out too long because we have the same manager [Drew Smith] and when he's out, he'll have me working twice as hard," Morgan quipped.

"It works well, He's got Hippo [Adam Hyeronimus] in town, me, Aaron, Benny [Looker], and we all feed off each other. If Aaron can't ride one, I can or Benny, and vice versa."

Morgan's winners, including four at city level, have returned close to $4.6 million this season at a strike rate over 16 per cent.

Despite the added success in town and a short stint in Brisbane early last year, Morgan is keen to stay in Newcastle.

"I like living in Newcastle, I wouldn't want to live in Sydney," he said. "I get down to the beach, which is ideal, and you can get to most places to ride.

"My daughter is in Ireland, so once I finish riding I think I'll go back there. But while I'm riding, this is such a good place.

"I liked Brisbane, but they race only three times a week. In NSW, you can be as busy as you want, there's good racing, good trainers. It's probably the best spot."

Morgan is facing a three-week suspension in August, from his time in Brisbane, and will use it to head home to the UK for a month.

Maitland trainer Peter Hedges was eyeing a shot at redemption with Mondello Beach at Newcastle Paceway on Friday night before stewards ordered on Thursday for the pacer to be scratched.

Mondello Beach finished over the top of Darrell Standen-trained Still Rollin to win at the track on June 28 but connections of the runner-up lodged an objection and the winner was disqualified.

Mondello Beach had not raced or trialled in 48 days, breaching a rule that horses must trial if there is a gap of 42 or more days between starts.

Hedges' pacer, which had won his previous start, was to face Still Rollin again in the first on Friday night.

"He's not a bad horse and is a three-year-old against the older horses, but I just wish he drew a barrier," Hedges said before the order came through.

"His work has been really good since his last win, but drawn out there [in eight], he's going to need some luck.

"[Still Rollin] is in good form and has a better draw, but you never know. It just depends how far off we are."

Hedges said Mondello Beach had returned a more settled pacer since being gelded.

"He's always worked like a nice horse, but just this time back in he's started to race like one," he said.

"He was very green and use to fire up, but he's settling better in his races. He's got cut, and being a gelding now, he's not as highly strung."

Hedges said the disqualification came from a misjudgement of the time between runs after he missed working his two pacers because of a family illness and an overseas holiday.

His other pacer in work, Ideal Mondo, has also drawn wide, in seven, at Friday night's meeting. He races in the eighth and has finished top four in his past seven starts, all at Newcastle.

"He's goes good that horse, he's very honest," he said.

"He doesn't win often, but he's never far away. He's got gate speed but there's a bit of pace drawn under him, so he'll probably be driven for luck.

"If he has some coming to the last 400, he'll be right in it again."

Brandy Hill trainer Mark Davidson believes Frisky Felon can break her box four hoodoo when she strives for a home hat-trick at The Gardens on Friday.

Frisky Felon has won her past two starts, both over The Gardens 400m, and faces free-for-all class over the trip on Friday in race three.

She has come from boxes five and seven to win recently and Davidson expected her to repeat her front-running form from the four.

"Frisky Felon is going well, has got a vacant box outside her, she's won her last two, so I expect her to be right in it," Davidson said.

"It's the only box she hasn't won from so hopefully she'll turn that around tomorrow. She's nice and fresh and in good form, and I think she'll be a good chance."

Davidson's other runner is Rhyno's Magic in the fourth. Quick To Judge in the fifth has been sold and will be scratched. He said Rhyno's Magic faced stiff opposition from box one's Jack Jack Binks in the 515m event.

"Rhyno's Magic is going well and drops back in grade," he said.

"This will be her third start for me and I think the one is the danger.

"It goes good early but is a little on the weak side at the finish, so i think if she can sit close to it, I expect her to finish off well.

"She got a bit tired last week in her first 500, so hopefully she'll be better for the run."