Outstanding Sydney harness racing driver Robbie Morris has again reached some significant milestones – but there's one lingering in the back of his mind that he really wants.
Morris, who forms a formidable team with his wife KerryAnn at their 'Lucky Lodge' Menangle property, recently posted his 100th State driving success, which also took him to a career total of 1400 wins. He'd earlier reached a century tally in May, which included Qld and NSW victories.
And KerryAnn is again showing fine touch this season, reaching more than 100 winners as a trainer – a milestone she has recorded in the past seven seasons.
"It makes you proud to reach those little milestones, because it means you're getting the results you are after," Robbie said.
"We have a few stars but a lot of consistent bread and butter horses which are important," he said.
"I think it was 2009 when I started, and I got 80 winners. Every season since I've been fortunate to drive over the century mark."
Robbie Morris is currently among the country's top 20 drivers, and KerryAnn is sitting number five on the national trainers' table.
And while there have been many highlights in their relatively short careers, Morris said there was one major goal still to be ticked off.
"For me, I've got a burning desire for one of the real top Group events-the Miracle Mile is the one I really want," he said.
"I was runner-up in 2011 with a great horse in Karloo Mick, trained by Barry Lew. We were big odds and went down by a metre to a champion in Smoken Up.
"When you ask me to name a memorable win or horse, I nearly always come back to that race – despite the fact we got beaten!
"It was an awesome day. I was so fortunate to be part of it. And it has sort of remained with me ever since."
Morris and the admired warhorse Karloo Mick formed an outstanding duo in the latter stages of the pacer's career.
Leading up to the 'Mile', they won the Brian Hancock Cup, of $25k, in October, at Menangle and then finished third two weeks later in the $70,000 Newcastle Mile to Raglan (Anthony Butt) in 1.54-9.
In fact, in 12 starts during a period of a little over a two-years from October, 2011, Morris guided the gelding to four wins and three placings, finishing no further back than fifth, barring one eighth, against some of the stars of the time.
The wins included the 2012 $10k Don Tildsley Memorial at Eugowra on October 1; the 2013 $10k Tamworth Gold Nugget, January 16; and the $25,000 Group Three Australia Day Cup at Menangle, which was to be the grand old pacer's final race. Karloo Mick went out a winner, at age 12, with 64 wins, 59 placings for nearly $1.5M.
Morris says that after getting through Year 10, all he wanted to do was to be home with his father Peter and the horses.
"School just wasn't for me-dad realized, but mum wasn't so understanding," he said.
"We used to be at Fairfield and ever since we've been at our 20-acre property, which is a stone's throw from the Menangle track. The facilities are first-class and you wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Morris said he met his now wife KerryAnn (nee Turner) when he was travelling far and wide as a junior driver, trying to get as many drives as possible.
"I found myself doing trips down into the NSW Riverina district. KerryAnn and her parents Ray and Helen lived at Ganmain, about 40 minutes from Wagga. They raced small teams, and they still do.
"I met KerryAnn at one of the meetings and then kept seeing her around. It just went from there. Now we're married, doing what we love and have a great young son in Archie."
Morris said his parents Peter and Margaret were vital to the Lucky Lodge operation.
"Mum does all the books and she's often called in to baby-sit, while dad does the jog trips and other chores," he said.
"Our team is usually between 40 to 45 and I do most of the driving with our stablehand Josh Gallagher, who has always been with us. He's like family.
"KerryAnn drives occasionally and she's good at it. But she seems to enjoy the training side more of the sport."
KerryAnn Morris
The NSW premiership tables, as of earlier this week:
NSW drivers’ premiership
Luke McCarthy 446 races 136 wins 114 places
Todd McCarthy 681 129 180
Amanda Turnbull 409 111 112
Robbie Morris 734 103 174
Metropolitan
Luke McCarthy 239 races 71 wins 65 places
Todd McCarthy 230 31 71
Anthony Butt 101 24 15
Robbie Morris 226 23 45
NSW Trainers’ premiership
Craig Cross 667 races 170 wins 158 places
Clayton Harmey 511 114 144
KerryAnn Morris 940 111 225
Bernie Hewitt 484 76 127
Metropolitan
Craig Cross 420 races 98 wins 103 places
KerryAnn Morris 331 19.5 67.5
Tim Butt 79 16 14
Team Tritton 214 14 39.5
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura