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Tamworth’s Cody Morgan celebrated the biggest win of his training career when Ezekeil claimed the $500,000 Country Cup at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Ridden by Jamie Kah, Ezekeil careered away for a dominant win over the Tony Gollan-trained Situation Room.
Ezekeil was a $220,000 buy by Aquis Farm at the Magic Millions sales but after placing in two of his first three starts for Gold Coast trainer Kacy Fogden, he was sold for $42,500 at an Inglis online sale.
He is now raced by a large syndicate of owners headed by Australian Bloodstock.
Cody Morgan admitted he was thankful the Country Cup was the first race on the mammoth 10 race program, which was later postponed after only two races were run.
The Gold Coast was hit by persistent morning rain with the opening race conducted on a Soft 7 following a track downgrade by stewards in the morning.
It was later in the Heavy range when stewards and jockeys deemed the track unsafe with the final eight races transferred to the Gold Coast on Thursday.
"He's never been on a track like that before and I was really fortunate it was the first race," Morgan said.
"I doubt he would have won if it was run later in the day as he probably wouldn't have handled it as well."
Morgan was thankful Australian Bloodstock gave the son of Divine Prophet to him to train after the four-year-old was gelded early in his career.
"Australian Bloodstock have raced at the highest level and they support me every week and every day so I can't thank them enough," an emotional Morgan said.
The 1200 metre Country Cup carried prize money of $500,000 and took Ezekeil's career earnings to just over $391,000 with five wins and as many placings in 15 starts.
Morgan was a former jockey who grew up in Quirindi, 60 kilometres south-west of Tamworth in NSW.
He was apprenticed to Tamworth's Craig Martin, where he outrode his country claim, before continuing his career with the Tony McEvoy stable at Lindsay Park in South Australia.
He quit his riding career because of weight problems before turning his hand to training in 2008.
Ezekeil booked his spot for the Country Cup with a sizzling win in the Newmarket Handicap over 1100 metre at Armidale on December 11.
"He's been a really good acquisition to the stable and Australian Bloodstock own him so it's been a big thrill for his owners," Morgan said.
Morgan praised Kah for following pre-race instructions to the letter.
"Jamie was told to try to hold her position in the first six and to stay off the fence up the running," he said.
Kah admitted she was surprised Ezekeil was only an acceptor for the Country Cup.
"I galloped him on Tuesday and he gave me a really lovely feel," she said.
"I was surprised he was only in the Country Cup.
"He's a proper horse and it's a big thrill for Cody Morgan and his connections."
