Cody Morgan says the excitement is starting to build for what will be the biggest race of his life.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Tamworth trainer has set up camp in Sydney ahead of his three-pronged assault on The Kosciuszko riches on Saturday.
Wanting to give his three runners - Ligulate, Ice In Vancouver and Anethole - "every chance", he headed down on Sunday with a couple of his staff, and the trio to work them down there and give them a bit of time on the track.
READ ALSO:
"It's something I had thought about, to come down for the week," Morgan said.
"Plenty of times I've brought horses down for Highways the day before and they haven't settled."
"Logistically you can't do that every week (go down for the week)."
"But it's not every day you race for a million dollars."
What would be a "big enough week" with one horse in the race, let alone three that have "all got their quirks", he admits it has been a bit of a juggling act.
But he is happy with how they are travelling.
"They did their last piece of fast work this morning (Tuesday)," he said.
"All three galloped strongly."
The hard work done, he'll ease them back now. Over the next few days they'll "just trot and canter", just really "have a pretty easy time" of it.
The $1.3 million race will be part of a huge day of racing at Royal Randwick headlined by the $15 million TAB Everest (1200m), and Morgan said there is a real buzz around.
He is the only trainer to have three runners in the race, and the first, from what he has been told.
Asked how that felt, he said "quite special", even more so for the fact that "the owners and slot holders have enough confidence in me to get three in there".
Ice In Vancouver will run on behalf of a Dorrigo syndicate, while Ligulate was picked up by Ron Fielding, Anethole by Patrick Jones.
Ligulate and Ice In Vancouver are equal fifth at $15 in the current betting with Anethole at $26.
The next piece of the puzzle will come Wednesday when the barriers are announced.
