Morrison hopes his first winner can do it again at Ipswich

By Glenn Davis

Consistent sprinter Blue Kentucky Moon will always hold a special place in rookie trainer Michael Morrison’s heart.

The five-year-old gave Morrison his first winner as a trainer when the gelding won on the Sunshine Coast Polytrack in May.

Now, Blue Kentucky Moon will attempt to give Morrison his seventh winner since becoming a trainer four months ago when he starts in the Class 5 Handicap over 1100 metres at Ipswich on Wednesday.

Since his Sunshine Coast victory, Blue Kentucky Moon has been placed in two of his past three starts.

The son of No Nay Never is coming off a last start third to the Stu Kendrick-trained Knockknee in a 1000 metre Class 4 race on a heavy track at the Sunshine Coast on July 24.

“He was a bit funny in the barriers last start and was slow away,” Morrison said.

“He then got held up coming to the home turn but he ran on well without being a real threat.

“There’s a few scratchings already, which has helped drop the depth of the field, so he should run well."

Before training, Morrison worked in the racing industry for 12 years and was the racing manager for former Gold Coast trainer Michael Costa, who has taken up the head training role for Sheikh Ahmed Rashid Al Maktoum in Dubai.

Morrison, who has a team of 20 horses in work at the Gold Coast, once worked for veteran Deagon trainer Pat Duff and Darren Bell.

He initially worked for the Commonwealth Bank but got a foot in the door in the racing industry doing stable duties for Duff .

Morrison also did a two-year internship with Godolphin and once worked with Glenlogan Park stud.

Morrison rates the Chris Anderson-trained Plutocrat and Never Paid from the Kelly Schweida stable as the main threats to Blue Kentucky Moon.

Plutocrat will carry 56.5kgs with the claim for apprentice Adin Thompson while James Orman replaces apprentice Angela Jones on Never Paid.

Plutocrat has a win and a placing from his past four starts and is coming off a last start sixth to Go Wandji at Eagle Farm last month.

Never Paid won at Ipswich and the Gold Coast before a last start third to the Mark Currie-trained Lime Soda in an 1100 metre Benchmark race at Gold Coast on June 25.