Cameron Crocket-trained Morpheus wins 2022 Country Music Cup with Mitchell Bell in the saddle

Mitchell Bell combined with Morpheus to take out the $30,000 race at $26 while stablemate and well-fancied favourite Midsummer Rain finished back in sixth.

Heading into the race, Crockett had said it was now or never for Morpheus .

"I said to the guys in the update that if he doesn't win or perform today, I've got no excuses because that's as good as I've had him," Crockett told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

"I can't say I expected him to beat the other mare [Midsummer Rain] but she was three and four wide the trip with no cover, so she might have had some excuses, but I still thought she would have come on a bit better."

Morpheus had a good run in the race on the back of the leader throughout most of it.

The gelding was able to wear down the Peter Sinclair-trained Maslow to win by half a length.

Third was Tracey Bartley's fast-finishing Defeat a further half length back.

But on the winner, Crockett said it was good to see the owners' get a win with Morpheus.

"Full credit to him and his owners, they've been really patient," Crockett said.

"He had kissing spine surgery about eight months ago and I was worried he just wasn't getting fit because he's done so well since but he was back to his best today. That was really good to see."

The victory gave Bell his second win of the day after taking out the first on the Tracey Bartley-trained Mabel.

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