Episode 357: Robert Morris

Great to catch up with Robert Morris, one of Australia’s busiest harness racing drivers. The thirty year old has driven 100 winners or more on NSW tracks for the past ten seasons. Rob’s wife Kerry Ann trains a 50 horse team at Menangle, and is already a two time premiership winner. She takes her horses where they have the best chance of earning prize money. Robert talks of his role as Kerry Ann’s stable driver. He explains his duties in the day to day running of the successful stable. Rob’s been around the money many times on the premiership ladder. He believes his time will come. He pays tribute to the training and driving talents of his wife. The young reinsman looks back on his upbringing in the harness racing sport, and the influence of his father Peter Morris. He says he was intimidated by Peter’s reputation as one of the best drivers of his generation. Rob’s mother Margaret gets the acknowledgement she so richly deserves. Young Morris speaks glowingly of son Archie (6) and daughter Stella (11 months). He says Archie is already obsessed with horses. Rob has never forgotten his first winning drive at Penrith in 2008. He says his mother was very vocal in the grandstand. Early in his career Rob received great support from Menangle trainers. He pays a special tribute to David Wilkins who got him up and going with a cranky filly called Bonnie Mahoney. He’s never forgotten his first Harold Park win on the Wilkins trained Virage. He says a Harold Park win meant the world to up and coming young drivers. Rob looks back on a memorable day at Menangle when he was just 18 years old. He drove four winners including two Gr 1’s. He reflects on another Gr 1 win on Blissfull Guy at Menangle in 2012. He lost this one in the steward’s room. Predictably he sings the praises of the evergreen Karloo Mick, the horse he rates as the best he’s driven. He drove the veteran into second place in a Miracle Mile. Rob says he had a few quirks but was competitive in the best company. Rob looks back on the serious ankle injury sustained in a Penrith fall. He was on the sidelines for many months. A nice yarn with a young bloke who’s going to be among Sydney’s best drivers for a long time to come.