BENDIGO harness racing trainer Bruce Morgan has joined the greats of the sport after winning the 2015 Gordon Rothacker Medal.
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The trainer of champion mare Mother Courage was stunned to receive Harness Racing Victoria’s most prestigious individual award.
“I’m in complete shock. It’s just such a wonderful honour to get into the same elite company as the previous winners of this wonderful medal,” Morgan said.
Fittingly, Rothacker was one of Morgan’s heroes in the training game.
“I still put into play today with the training of our horses the advice Gordon gave me when I was young,” Morgan said.
Morgan, who moved to Bendigo from Swan Hill in 1973, is best known for his training of Mother Courage.
Mother Courage won 30 races, was 38 times in 81 starts and earned $462,520 in stake money.
Mother Courage’s win in the 2002 Bendigo Pacing Cup was a highlight for Morgan.
Denver Gift was another great pacer that Morgan trained to Group race wins.
“When I retired from driving, John Caldow and Gavin Lang, they made those two horses (Mother Courage and Denver Gift) into big-race winners. Through their efforts I was able to win some really good races,” Morgan said.
Morgan still trains a small team at his Junortoun base and has no plans to retire.
“I don’t feel old. I think I’ve still got the driving ambition to get a better horse than I’ve ever had,” he said.
Morgan paid tribute to his wife Val.
“Val was very involved in horses when she was young so that made it easy to be a very good team,” he said.
“There’s a good woman behind every man they say and I’ve had an excellent woman behind me.”
Morgan is a life member of the Bendigo Harness Racing Club after serving on the committee for 20 years.