Ash Morgan double at Newcastle builds on strong start to season

Morgan rose to 44.5 winners, just ahead of Jason Collett (44) and behind only Tyler Schiller (48), to continue a strong start to the season.

He took Kim Waugh-trained Shemran ($19) along the rail to claim the 1890-metre maiden plate by 0.37 of a length before pushing Rebel's Edge ($8) to victory for Muswellbrook trainer Cassandra Stummer in the benchmark 64 handicap (1500m) for colts, geldings and entires.

It was a fifth win in 30 starts for five-year-old Rebel's Edge, which Morgan raced midfield before coming with a run down the outside.

They hit the front at the 200m mark and held off a late challenge from Olivia's Spirit to prevail by 0.15 of a length.

The success followed a second in the Guyra Cup at Armidale when second-up.

"He's just a really tough horse, he just toughed it out," Stummer told Sky Racing.

"I thought he got there a bit early but I'm really happy.

"Ash knows him and he knows when he gets out, he can half-bolt, so he did the right thing by taking him back."

Morgan was impressed with Rebel's Edge fight late.

"He was very good," he said.

"I've ridden him a fair few times and that's the best he's been by a long way.

"He jumped well and I actually ended up further back than I needed to, but he travelled really well and I just got there quick. Quicker than I ever expected.

"But he felt the other horses coming and he was tough."

Shemran, a four-year-old So You Think gelding, broke through at his sixth start. Morgan raced him midfield on the fence before a clear run opened up on the inside.

"I got a lovely run," he said. "My only concern was it took me until about the 1000 to get him to actually spit the bit. He just overraced a bit.

"I saved the ground and it probably helped him being inside horses because he can just wander a touch.

"He's still immature and I was going to go get there and I just regathered him and put my stick away and when I did that he lost concentration, so it was a good win. He's going to improve because he's not there mentally, so it was a good effort."

Veteran local trainer Charlie Porter was another winner on the day when seven-year-old Mr Polar was strong first-up to hold out a wall of challengers in the last, a benchmark 68 (900m).

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