The emergence of Private Harry as one of the country’s most exciting sprinters has coincided with the rise of his jockey Ash Morgan as both horse and hoop make a fist of their opportunities.
The pair will be in the spotlight at Randwick on Saturday when Private Harry attempts to extend his unbeaten streak to six in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m), on his way to the $20 million The Everest (1200m) in October.
It is a pressure position Morgan is becoming increasingly familiar with, although rewind 12 months and things were very different.
On the corresponding Saturday last year, Morgan rode at Newcastle where he booted home a winner for Private Harry’s trainer Nathan Doyle.
The provincial circuit was the then-mainstay of his trade but thanks to his partnership with Private Harry, the Welsh-born rider is now a regular in the Sydney jockeys’ room, having since combined with the horse to capture the Group 1 The Galaxy and the $3 million The Sunlight.
It has also helped open other doors with Morgan adding another five stakes wins to his resume in 2025, along with the Provincial-Midway Championships Final aboard Matcha Latte.
Not only has Morgan grasped the opportunity to showcase his capabilities and lean into the high-pressure environment, he has relished it.
“When I first started riding I wasn’t accustomed to it but now I’m really getting used to it and I feel like I’m thriving off it so I’m hoping to do the same on Saturday,” Morgan said.
“The first time I rode him in the Sunlight, it was actually the biggest race I’d ridden in prizemoney-wise and I won that and won The Galaxy.
“I’ve been able to do it on other horses as well so I think that got me used to the environment and it has really helped me to improve as a rider.”
Private Harry will face a stern test in The Shorts when he clashes with fellow Everest contenders Briasa and Joliestar but Morgan says Private Harry has been well prepared and is as fit as he has ever been for a first-up run.
He is a $2.20 favourite and on the second line of Everest markets behind Ka Ying Rising at $6.
“He is probably more forward than we have ever had him going into a first-up race,” he said.
“He was always a big brute of a horse but he has come back a lot stronger through his shoulder and through his neck. He has taken that natural improvement into his four-year-old season that we would expect.
“He has got to go out and do it on Saturday but we feel like he is going to run a massive race.”
