Landmark winner for Luke Morris at Lingfield

Arc-winning jockey continues to rack up the records.

Luke Morris brought up his 2000th career winner when partnering Simon Dow’s Recuerdame to victory at Lingfield on Monday.

Known as one of the hardest working jockeys in the weighing room, Morris was ridden over 100 winners a year since 2011 and was notching up number 94 for 2022 in the Spreadex Sports Get GBP 50 In Bonuses Handicap.

Although yet to reach the century this term, it is fitting that winner number 2000 for the career has come in the season Morris has enjoyed notable Group One success aboard Alpinista, culminating in Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe glory at ParisLongchamp in October.

The trainer who has supplied the most of those 2000 winners is Morris’ long-time ally and handler of Alpinista, Sir Mark Prescott.

Eight of Morris’ nine Group One victories as a jockey have been for the master of Heath House, while his total haul for Prescott stands at 366 in the UK with further success abroad on the likes of Prix de l’Abbaye winner Marsha.

“Its a great tribute to his professionalism, reliability and work ethic,” said Prescott.

“The eight Group One winners he has ridden for me show how good he is on the big day as well.

“However, both he and I have somewhere to go before we reach the 700-plus winners George Duffield rode for me!”

Luke Morris steers Alpinista (centre) to victory in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York in August
Luke Morris steers Alpinista (centre) to victory in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York in August (Mike Egerton/PA)

Stuart Williams’ Huberts Dream continued his on his upwards curve when making all to take the BetUK’s Acca Club GBP 5 Free Bet Nursery Handicap in facile fashion.

The 1-5 favourite was recording his third-straight Lingfield victory in the space of a fortnight and the Opulence Thoroughbreds-owned colt could prove to be an exciting prospect for next year.

“I was very happy with the win,” said Williams. “Obviously the race had cut up a bit and is one that was put on at short notice which suited us and I think he has done it quite nicely.

“He’s going to go up a fair chunk tomorrow morning I would imagine and hopefully that win will swallow some of the penalty.

“I’m yet to speak to Opulence Thoroughbreds about what we’re going to do going forwards. Obviously we’re going to go up in grade, whether there is a programme for a three-year-old sprinter on the all-weather, I will have to have a look.

“I’m sure he will be fine on the turf as well, he was a late foal and its just taken a bit of time for the penny to drop with him, but he’s getting the hang of it now.”

The usual end point for rapidly improving all-weather sprinters rising three is the Three-Year-Old All-Weather Championships Conditions Stakes on All-Weather Finals Day at Newcastle in the spring. However, Williams believes he has a good bit of improvement to find to reach that level.

“It’s possible,” added Williams. “He would have to go up a fair bit in the handicap to be considered for that. It’s usually won by a horse rated a 100 or so and he’s not going to be near that at the moment, but I hope he gets that high.”

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