18 January 2023 , 11:13
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Britain’s busiest jockey Luke Morris has reached another major milestone after riding the 2,000th winner of his career.
Morris, who won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October on Alipinista, hit the mark on the Archie Watston-trained Colors Of Freedom on Tuesday night at Southwell, the track where he also rode his first winner in 2005.
The 34-year-old is one of only seven active riders in Britain to ride as many winners and joins Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori, Jamie Spencer, Jim Crowley, Paul Hanagan and Joe Fanning.
Morris told Great British Racing : “Year in year out I try to have as many winners as I can, so to reach 2,000 winners, I am immensely proud.
“I am very lucky to have lots of loyal contacts, great trainers and owners as well as an understanding family who have always supported me.
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“This is something that I’ve wanted to do since I was six and they’ve been supportive since the very start. Now I have a young son Henry, it makes life different, but my partner Molly is very good at steering the ship while I’m all over the country.
“I set myself a goal every year to ride 100 winners and hopefully ride a Group 1. Luckily, it’s worked out quite well for me so far but you have to keep your work ethic every year and keep your head down. I’ve always been ambitious and I hope that will stay with me for a long time.”
Morris has exceeded 100 winners in a campaign in each of the last 12 years from more than 1,000 rides. As well as Arc success, his other career highlights include victory in the 2017 Nunthorpe Stakes at York with Marsha.
“Of the British winners, Marsha winning the Nunthorpe and Alpinista in the Yorkshire Oaks are very much my highlights,” he said. “They were special days, especially winning them for Sir Mark and loyal owners in the Elite Racing Club and Miss Rausing.
“Those were two great days and I’m very much hoping there will be plenty more days like that. You just hope that the ball keeps rolling year in year out and just keep the number tally very high.”