‘I gave it up, I didn't want to ride again': Jockey Ashley Morgan completes a comeback for the ages
'I was riding at the picnics and it felt like Sydney racing was a millions miles away, it seemed so far out of reach it might as well have been on the moon,'' Morgan said.
'But I'm glad it happened that way. I had to start at the bottom and work my way up.
'So, it means a lot more to me when I look back on where I have come from. I appreciate it a lot more and I don't take it for granted.''
But from those humble beginnings, winning The Everest could become reality for Morgan in the spring when he rides brilliant unbeaten sprinter Private Harry in the rich Royal Randwick race – but more about that later.
At the two-day Scone Cup Carnival which starts on Friday, Morgan goes back to where it all began.
Morgan has five rides at the Friday meeting, most notably race favourite Know Thyself in the Listed $200,000 Scone Cup (1600).
Then at the Scone Saturday stand-alone meeting, he has a full book of 10 rides including Captain Amelia in the Group 3 $250,000 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m).
His mounts in Saturday's other four stakes races, all Listed $200,000 events, are Fullalove (Woodlands Stakes, 1100m), Satin Stiletto (Denise's Joy Stake s, 1100m), Caballus (Ortensia Stakes, 1100m) and Givemethebeatboys (Luskin Star Stakes, 1300m).
Morgan's comeback story began unofficially at the Scone Cup meeting in 2018, albeit when he started work that day as a strapper.
But two months later, he returned to the saddle, travelling all over NSW and even to Queensland, to compete at the picnics and country non-TAB race meetings.
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Seven years later, Morgan is now rated among the nation's finest riders and is leading the NSW jockey premiership, a title he won last year.
'My target at the start of the season was to ride 100 winners, 10 in town and a stakes race,' Morgan said.
'But I've already ridden close to 100 winners, I've won three stakes races and my first Group 1, I've ridden 14 city winners and three $1 million-plus races.
'This has been an amazing season and it has surpassed all my expectations.''
Morgan has been exposed to the bright lights of racing's big league when riding the highly-fancied Private Harry to win both the $3 million The Sunlight and Group 1 $1 million The Galaxy this year – and handled the experience with ease.
We're just wild about Harry!!! �
Private Harry gives @ndoyleracing and @AshMorgan6 their first G1 success in The Galaxy, and remains unbeaten! ðŸ'° @KBloodstockNSW | @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/rZj42n26u0
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025
'I felt really comfortable in those situations, I've thrived off it really,'' he said.
'At the Magic Millions, I don't think it was pressure I was feeling, I was just really focused.
'It's been good I have been able to win those big races on 'Harry' (Private Harry) and on other horses, too. I felt I've handled those big race situations well.
'You want to be under that pressure, to be involved in those big races and taking it for what it is.''
Morgan's comeback story is remarkable. The Welsh-born jockey began his riding career in England and rode 71 winners including a Listed stakes success before he 'retired' from the sport, frustrated by a lack of opportunities and ongoing weight issues.
'I just felt it was never going to happen for me in racing,'' Morgan said. 'So, I gave it up – I didn't want to ride again.''
Morgan ended up working in real estate for 12 months before moving to London and joining a recruitment agency.
He returned home to Wales for Christmas in 2017 where he had a 'light-bulb moment'.
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'My granddad is mad about the races and we were watching them together when I thought I wouldn't mind getting back into this and having a go,'' he said.
In was early 2018, Morgan, who was tipping the scales at 68kg at that time, left Wales and travelled to America chasing his dream. He rode trackwork there for a few months before deciding to try his luck in Australia.
Morgan had to start his riding career from scratch, getting to know Australian racing via the picnic and non-TAB circuit.
'When I was riding at places like Mendooran, Binnaway and Goondiwindi, I really enjoyed it,'' he said.
'I didn't mind the travel and I was just excited to be back riding again.
'My weight was always a problem when I was in England, I lived in the sauna, but I've found it much easier to manage in Australia because I'm riding a lot more.
'I knew it was going to be a process but I always thought I could get to a decent level here.''
Morgan has made an inexorable rise through the riding ranks and in the 2024-25 season, he has made a seamless transition from competing primarily on the provincial and country circuit to being a regular at metropolitan meetings.
The next phase of the jockey's career is to ride permanently in Sydney.
'I've purchased a house in Newcastle but I've been in Sydney a lot lately,'' he said.
'I might have to look at living in Sydney because I want to be there for trial mornings and if a trainer wants me to ride trackwork, I want to be there the next day rather than having to organise my week around it.
'I think that is probably the next logical step, I am lending that way to making the move.''
But Morgan will always make sure he is available when required to ride Private Harry, the Newcastle sprint sensation and $6 second favourite for The Everest in October.
Private Harry takes out the Inaugural running of the TAB Sunlight! ðŸ'� @mmsnippets @SCTurfClub @ndoyleracing @AshMorgan6 pic.twitter.com/WFjTCf1SI6
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 4, 2025
Private Harry was the first horse selected for The Everest after racing and breeding giant Yulong, who own an Everest slot, purchased a 50 per cent share of the sprinter earlier this year.
Unbeaten after five starts, Private Harry made a quantum leap from a maiden success to a Group 1 The Galaxy triumph in his debut race campaign.
'I went to see Private Harry a couple of weeks ago and he looks amazing,'' Morgan said.
'He only had 10 days off after winning on the Sunshine Coast in January so he did very well to achieve what he has in basically his first preparation, and I was always confident he would improve massively from having a good spell.
'He's already a big, strong horse but it looks like he has put on some weight during his spell and he could not look any better.
'He is back in light work on the water walker and it won't be too long before he returns to the stables to get ready for the spring.''
It was only seven years ago when Morgan was riding on the dusty bush tracks of the NSW picnic circuit but at Scone's two-day Cup Carnival on Friday and Saturday his form has commanded rides in all the features races.
Then in October, Morgan has a date with destiny when he rides at Royal Randwick in the world's richest turf race.
'The Everest has gone through my mind a few times already – I'm daring to dream,'' Morgan said.
â– â– â– â– â–
Morgan to continue Scone love affair
Morgan can continue his breakout season with more feature race success on the Australian racetrack where he has ridden more winners than any other – Scone.
NSW's premiership-leading rider has a busy two days at the Scone carnival with 15 rides including $2.60 TAB Fixed Odds favourite Know Thyself in the Listed $200,000 Scone Cup (1600m) on Friday.
Know Thyself, trained by Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich, has won four races in succession including The Coast at Gosford last Saturday when ridden by Morgan.
'I thought Know Thyself was really good last Saturday,'' Morgan said.
'I always try to ride the horse rather than the race and the track but at Gosford I felt I had to ride the track the way it was playing.
'He's very 'push-button' so I got him out of the barriers, put him on speed and he was very tough under pressure in the straight.''
Know Thyself makes it four on the trot and wins The Coast! ðŸ'¥ @AshMorgan6 | @Paulmessara | @LGavranich pic.twitter.com/UpqfNMhL8v
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025
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It would be fitting if Morgan can win the Scone Cup because since resurrecting his riding career when he moved to Australia seven years ago, Morgan has ridden 650 winners including 54 on Scone racecourse.
Morgan is enjoying a career-best season in 2024-25 where he leads the NSW jockey premiership with 89 wins, and has ridden four stakes winners including his first at Group 1 level on Private Harry in The Galaxy.
The jockey has rides in all 10 races at the Scone Saturday stand-alone including Irish import Givemethebeatboys in the Listed $200,000 Luskin Star Stakes (1300m,).
Givemethebeatboys, trained by Michael Freedman, was a Group 3 winner in Ireland and showed glimpses of that form when a close third to Mazu in the Hall Mark Stakes last start.
Mazu makes it back-to-back TAB Hall Mark Stakes! ðŸ'� @PrideRacing | @jamieleekah07 | @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/0jDVdYIYFO
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 19, 2025
'I have been through his form and he ran really well last start,'' Morgan said. 'His effort that day suggests he should be very competitive in a race like this.
'He has good European form, he's improving with racing, and I thought he was a very good ride in the race.''
Morgan is also partnering Bjorn Baker's talented sprinter Caballus who is resuming in the Listed $200,000 Ortensia Stakes (1100m).
Caballus was considered a possible The Everest contender at the start of the season but he failed to fire during spring and has since been gelded.
Caballus resumes a winner for his new connections! @BBakerRacing @Darby_Racing @JoshuaParr8 pic.twitter.com/IApRx8s8r0
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 20, 2024
Morgan gets his first ride on Caballus at Scone but has been a keen observer of the sprinter's recent barrier trials.
'I thought his trials have been great this time in,'' Morgan said. 'They have been riding him quietly and he has been launching at the line.
'He has always shown glimpse of being a very good horse during his career and this is a nice race for him.''
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