Cody Morgan has had plenty of special days at the racetrack.
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Country Championship heats wins, Tamworth Cup wins, Highway Handicap triumphs; the Magic Millions Country Cup earlier in the year.
Now a comparatively nondescript Tamworth meeting is right up there alongside them as a career highlight.
In what he described as a "bucket list" achievement, the Tamworth trainer emulated his former master Tim Martin in saddling up six winners at Friday's meeting.
"To equal that record, it's something that will stay with me forever," Morgan said.
He was there on that May 11 day in 2001 when Martin achieved the feat. Then 15, he was apprenticed to him and brother Craig (Martin) at the time.
"I remember the day and just couldn't believe what an achievement it was at the time, but as the years have gone on I've realized how bloody difficult it is to do," the now 37-year-old said.
One of the most special things for him about Friday was, as they were going into the gates for the last race, which he needed to win for the six wins, receiving a message from Martin wishing him luck, and a congratulatory one afterwards.
"It really meant a lot because the three people that I've always looked up to have been Tim Martin, Craig Martin, and Barry Lockwood," Morgan said.
"Everything that I've done has revolved around what I've learned off those three trainers."
In the process of creating history he also ticked over over 100 winners at Tamworth.
On 97 heading into the meeting that was more the milestone he was aiming at.
"I was sort of going there thinking well if I train three and get to 100 on my home track that was going to be pretty cool," Morgan said.
The record though, and the chance to equal it was there circulating in the back of his mind. He had a strong book of runners - he had the favourite five of the eight races - and they'd all drawn pretty well.
Admittedly he thought it was five. But then a friend of his, who is a bit of a historian, informed him the night before that it was actually six.
"When I saw it was six, I thought jeez this is going to be hard," Morgan said.
But "everything just fell into place".
In saying that, it was a bit of a rollercoaster ride.
After notching the 100 by the fourth race with Koga Ninja (Aaron Bullock) taking out the first, Gunmetal (Jenny Duggan) the second and Outback Ringer (Bullock) the third, he then had to settle for second the next two races.
It meant he had to win the last three to equal the record.
Aesthete (Bullock) and Satay Chicken (Braith Nock) obliged, leaving it all up to Le Melody.
Morgan said he was pretty confident she could do the job.
"To be fair she was $1.28 favourite," he quipped.
She showed why, romping home by two lengths with Bullock on board.
It gave him five winners for the day and helped him secure the Australian Jockey Premiership for the 2022/23 racing year.
Coming six months after he trained a career-first four winners, Morgan acknowledged that it helps having such a big stable as he is "fortunate" to.
"When you're nominating 20 horses and six of them win; it's still very hard to do but it's a hell of a lot more achievable when you've got 30 or 40 horses to be able to do it," he said.
He backed up from his memorable day with a winner from his only runner at Muswellbrook on Sunday, with Social Outcast taking out the Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1280m).
