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By Ray Hickson

Iowna Merc handed jockey Ash Morgan one of the most important wins of his career, and kick started a huge first week of 2025, and he’s hoping to keep the momentum going on the gelding at Wyong on Saturday.

Jockey Ashley Morgan (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The two-time NSW premiership winning hoop notched his first stakes win when Iowna Merc won the Canterbury Sprint on New Year’s Day then parlayed that into the biggest win of his career when Private Harry won the $3m Magic Millions Sunlight last weekend.

Morgan said Iowna Merc’s Canterbury win was a big boost to his confidence and his profile in the ever-increasing strength of Sydney's jockey ranks.

“I thought it was a winner I needed, a stakes winner, just to solidify me a little bit more,’’ Morgan said.

“I feel like I ride a lot of winners but I needed that good winner in town, it was important for me to take the next step. Then we backed up on the Saturday and won.”

Iowna Merc has his first test beyond 1200m in the Domeland Handicap (1350m) at Wyong and based on his last start win Morgan is confident it’s not beyond him.

He settled near the tail at Canterbury and despite wobbling around the home turn he knuckled down at prevailed in a close finish and is yet another in-form horse in line for a hat-trick this summer.

“I thought it was a good win, we landed in a nice spot on a hot tempo and I thought he built into the race well,’’ he said.

“He probably didn’t get around the turn that great but as soon as he levelled I was confident we were the winner.

“I feel like going up in trip isn’t going to be an issue, I thought we were strongest late.”

Morgan is a little unsure how he’ll play jumping from the outside barrier in the small field on Iowna Merc, $3.20 with TAB on Thursday, but feels he has the horse underneath him to adapt and not take away his late sprint.

“It’s a little bit of a tricky gate I guess but if we get the type of run we had the other day he’ll be right in it again,’’ he said.

“A good thing with him is he’s easy to ride. If you needed to start him up and put him in a spot he’d definitely come back to you. We can afford to give him a bit of a squeeze and bring him back.

“I know he’s up in weight but it’s not as strong a race as it was the other day.”

It’d be a special win for Morgan if he can guide Magnatear home in the Central Coast Mayor’s Midway Handicap (1600m) given his association with the horse’s former trainer Sam Kavanagh.

He’s now in the Richard and Will Freedman stable since Kavanagh’s passing last month and, having won previously on the horse, Morgan knows he’s more than capable.

He was six weeks between runs when gunned down by Emmadella at Randwick two weeks ago.

“I was good mates with Sam and spoke to him a lot on the phone,’’ he said.

“The owners are good lads too and they were keen to get me on him again. I don’t think the bad gate is an issue for him, he’s a go forward horse but he takes a bit of time to get there.

“You can be positive on him and he’s one of those horses that can really roll along at a good tempo.

“I thought Emmadella looks like a horse that will end up in stakes grade so to get beaten a length by her is pretty good.”

In the feature $500,000 Wyong Leagues Group The Lakes (1600m), Morgan was originally booked for Chorlton Lane but will partner Touristic for Peter Snowden after a change of plan from the Ciaron Maher stable.

Iowna Merc wins the Canterbury Sprint

While an outsider, Morgan said if Wyong remains in the soft range it wouldn’t surprise if Touristic showed something first-up.

“A wet track would be perfect for him,’’ he said.

“His runs were good last prep, I know they were over further but he’s had a bit of a break and is first-up into it. He could be a sneaky.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Wyong meeting