Morgan makes his home on the Gold Coast

By Jordan Gerrans

After a strong start to his training career in the Northern Territory, former jockey Dan Morgan felt the time was right to ‘have a crack’ in South East Queensland.

The well-travelled Morgan has called the Sunshine State home since the back end of 2024 and landed his first blow in his new venture on Saturday afternoon at Gatton.

The young horseman did it in style as well, recording a victory in the feature Laidley Cup with Brentwood.

The 31-year-old has landed a barn of 15 just a stone's throw from the Aquis Park track as he aims to establish himself as a conditioner in Queensland.

Those that watched Morgan closely in the NT regard him as a professional young operator who always turns his horses out in striking fashion and believe he is a trainer on the up.

The Kiwi native is hopeful Brentwood’s victory gets the ball rolling in a positive direction for the emerging yard.

“I was having a great time in the NT, I had a great strike-rate, a wonderful team of owners and a really good crop of horses,” Morgan said.

“But, it was always going to be a stepping stone for me. We had a really good season the one just gone and I thought it was perfect timing to make the move.

“I wanted to be a big boy, train in the big smoke and have a crack at it.”

In the 2023-24 season in the NT, Morgan prepared 16 winners at a touch over a 20 per cent strike-rate.

While the jockey-turned-trainer hails from New Zealand, it is a homecoming of sorts with his move to the Glitter Strip of Australia.

He spent time working for former trainer Lisa MacPherson as a stable hand and trackwork rider in his youth.

“I learnt my craft here,” he said.

“As a kid, I lived on the Gold Coast for about 10 years. She taught me a lot of things so I have to thank her for that.”

With seven in work as well as a couple of yearlings that were recently purchased, the former hoop – who still rides all his own trackwork – is busy filling his new barn.

“The money and the facilities on the Gold Coast are pretty sensational,” he said.

“They have put a lot of money into the infrastructure on the Gold Coast and I put it to my owners and they were keen to do it.

“The facilities here are too good to pass up so I certainly wanted to have a crack.

“Being here at the Gold Coast, we have great training tracks and the pool.”

Brentwood was previously prepared by Brisbane’s leading trainer Tony Gollan and was purchased online by Morgan and his group of owners.

He delivered the trainer his maiden Queensland winner at his third start for the team, saluting over a mile in Benchmark 75 grade at Gatton on Saturday in a stylish performance.

“We thought his form in town - without winning - was good and we looked at him as a nice midweek or provincial horse,” the trainer said.

“I just wanted to keep him around the same level Tony had him and I thought he would be pretty competitive.

“We wanted to target those country and provincial meetings with him and I was really happy with Saturday’s performance.

“The run over 1400 metres at his last start had merit and I was happy with him.

“I thought the mile in the Laidley Cup will be right up his alley and Elione Chaves being a nice, strong senior rider – he gave him a peach.”

Morgan believes the gelding is suited to country Cup races and will target relevant events in the coming months with him.

Morgan rode for almost seven years, with his last race day appearance in late August of last year.

In a riding career that spanned Tasmania, South and Western Australia and the NT, he amassed 59 winners before his weight became too much and he focused on training.

He goes searching for his second winner in Queensland at Sunshine Coast Turf Club on Friday with Garrucha in the Benchmark 62 Handicap over 1200 metres before taking Don't Be Dramatic to the Gold Coast Turf Club on Saturday in the Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1300 metres.

“I am fairly confident Don't Be Dramatic will put in another good run,” he said.

“Garrucha will step up to 1200 metres this week, which will be right up his alley. Garrucha is a good horse, he just needs to find his niche and he will be away.”