Tamworth trainers Cody and Luke Morgan have celebrated a brotherly double.
They were at opposite ends of the Hunter and North West Racing Association, though – Luke at Inverell and Cody at Quirindi.
At Inverell on Boxing Day, Luke was successful in the first race, the Andersens Carpets Maiden Plate (1010m), with Behati.
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The five-year-old daughter of Danerich was having her eighth race start and beat Sergeant Reckless by almost three quarters of a length.
At the southern end of the HNWRA, older brother Cody won the Peel Valley Group CG & E Benchmark 50 Handicap (1450m).
Talented apprentice Wendy Peel helped Manabar return to winning form as the gelding son of Manhattan Rain scooted away to a four-and-a half-length win from Craig Martin’s Cricklewood.
They had him in at Tamworth Equine for six weeks. [He] nearly died.
- Cody Morgan
Pre-race, Cody had said out-of-form Manabar may be “off the team” if he failed to finish in the top two.
“He won here last year too,” Morgan said. “That was a Class 1 1100m. Today [Wednesday] was good, he’d been out of form.”
Manabar had a good reason for being out of form, though.
“He got an ulcer in the eye,” Cody said. “They had him in at Tamworth Equine for six weeks. [He] nearly died.”
Despite that, Cody said it was either win “or he’s out the door. So he’s got a reprieve”.
On Saturday, another one of Cody’s horse, Moobi, won the Highway Handicap at Warwick Farm.
