Morrisey hoping for family affair win with Lennic

By Glenn Davis

Lennic will be out to continue a family affair for trainer Scott Morrisey at Doomben on Wednesday.

Lennic – a Boris Thornton mount - will be chasing her fourth win for the stable in the Class 3 Plate for fillies and mares over 1200 metres.

The four-year-old daughter of champion sire I Am Invincible is owned by Scott's parents John and Kay Morrisey.

John Morrisey was a former top trainer on the Gold Coast and in Canberra before deciding to take a back seat and let his son take over the stable’s training duties.

John won 22 straight premierships in Canberra and was a multiple NSW trainers' premiership winner when he was training against the might of the Gai Waterhouse and the late Bart Cummings before moving to the Gold Coast.

He claimed a host of feature races in Queensland including three Group 1s with Queensland Derby winners Camarena and Lachlan River while Rockdale won a TJ Smith (now J.J. Atkins).

“Dad just turned 75 and he still helps out around the stables every day,” Scott said.

“He’s the first there of a morning and the last to leave.”

The 49-year-old Scott trained for many years in his own right while also working alongside his father and is hoping Lennic can overcome a dry spell for the stable.

Lennic showed her versatility last start, winning effortlessly by more than four lengths in a 1200 metre Benchmark race on the Polytrack at the Gold Coast on May 18.

“She’s been doing everything right and should race well,” Scott said.

The Morrisey stable has had a horrid run with barriers recently and was relieved when the barrier gods came up with gate two for the four-year-old.

Scott has been training since he turned 21 and has a team of 16 in work at the Gold Coast.

Lennic was previously owned by Roger Davis before the Morrisey clan bought her for an undisclosed figure.

“Roger owned a few horses and we managed to pick her up when he decided to sell all his horses,” Scott said.

“We’ll see how she goes on Wednesday before deciding where to go next with her but there’s nothing mapped out yet.”

If statistics are a guide, Lennic will be highly competitive as she’s a two-time winner from four starts at Doomben and a three-time winner from seven starts.

She also has started three times for two wins and a third over 1200 metres at Doomben.