Team Morris rising in the trotting ranks

The resurgence of square-gaiters in New South Wales has made many of the leading stables go in search of a trotter or two, to get a slice of the harness racing action.

And no stable has done it better than Lucky Lodge, where KerryAnn Morris and her husband Rob operate one of the most successful barns on the Sydney scene.

Positioned just outside the gates of Menangle, Team Morris continues to import trotters from New Zealand and elsewhere for an enthusiastic bank of supporters.

They have reached the point where they now challenge Blake Fitzpatrick, Rickie Alchin and Joe and Mary Rando as the leading trotting stable in that region.

Five Morris square-gaiters will do battle in the first two races at Menangle today and a double is certainly not out of the question.

Rob, who celebrated his 30th birthday with a win on Ziggy Rocks at Menangle on Saturday night, usually gets to pick and choose which ones he will drive, while Josh Gallagher as well as Rob’s trainer/wife KerryAnn and several others get to split the rest.

Rob will almost certainly be aboard Don’t Touch This ($3.50) in Race 1 today, a 2300m trotters’ mobile, with the gelding chasing a winning hat-trick after two sterling efforts.

Gallagher will be aboard last week’s impressive winner Queen Of Strathfield ($3.50), with KerryAnn likely to drive Skyzrclearnsunny ($34).

In Race 2, a 1609m mobile, Rob will partner one of his old favourites Sunny Gee, who came from well back for a strong second to stablemate Don’t Touch This last week, beaten about four metres.

And while KerryAnn mixes training with raising the couple’s two children, she is happy to jump in the bike when required and hops back in the sulky behind the consistent veteran Agent Maori, who boasts 206 career starts for 19 wins and an impressive 53 placings.

After five successive placings, Agent Maori settled eight back on the pegs last week and never got into the action behind Sekkie Monkey, although he did finish ahead of a wayward Sunny Gee on that occasion and from gate two today is expected to be much more competitive.

Rob will also look to make it a big day when he partners $1.85 favourite Polka Delight in the third race, the first of the pacing events.

He’ll also be aboard Brocks Territory, a $10 pop in Race 4, either Ad Maiora ($6) or Im Bills Last ($5) in Race 5 and Whats Your Secret ($5) in Race 6 in what shapes as a hectic afternoon.

See today’s Menangle fields click here.

By Michael Court for HRNSW