Trainers who live within earshot of their stables seem to develop an uncanny sensitivity to the sounds made by a horse in trouble. Junortoun trainer Bruce Morgan has been lured from his bed many times over the years by the familiar thrashing of a horse cast in its box, but around 7.30 pm on July 17th he was puzzled by a sound he’d never heard before.
Bruce was joined by his wife Val as he rushed to the barn to find his all time favourite horse Denver Gift in a highly distressed state. “The noise I’d heard was a constant thumping sound and I could see immediately what had been causing it” said Bruce. “In his agony the old horse had dug a hole in the floor of his box almost half a metre deep. He was sweating heavily and in obvious pain.”
Bruce and Val did all they could to make it a little easier for a horse in the throes of an acute colic attack. They quickly administered an anti- inflammatory drug and a paraffin drench and started to walk the stallion, but they could see they had a battle on their hands. A veterinary surgeon from the nearby Bendigo Vet Clinic arrived a short time later to find his heart rate was through the roof. She administered a second painkiller, but the look on her face confirmed Bruce and Val’s worst fears.
“We checked him every two hours through the night, and while he was getting some relief from the painkillers he was obviously still under great stress,” said Bruce. “The vet was back early next morning to find the horse’s condition had worsened. She explained that surgery was desperately needed but advised against it because of his advanced age. He was only a few weeks off his twenty ninth birthday.
“Val and I lost a life changing horse and a great mate, when Denver Gift was put to sleep a short time later. It was one of the saddest moments of our lives.”
Great mates! Bruce and "Old Joe" at Denver Lodge Junortoun.
Denver Gift took his last breath just a short distance from the paddock in which he was foaled in 1992. Following his retirement from the track in 2001 he spent more than a decade at the Loddon Valley Stud, where he stood alongside his own sire Muckalee Strike. He suffered the same fate as the majority of colonial stallions and was to sire only 21 winners from very limited opportunities.
Joe had the run of Denver Lodge in his twilight years and was looked after magnificently by the Morgans. He was stabled at night, paddocked by day and rugged according to the weather. He was hand fed twice a day and belied his age right to the end. I caught Bruce in reminiscent mood on the phone during the week.
“His only misdemeanour occurred when he was a two year old, and I’ve never forgotten it,” said Bruce. “He was just starting to feel his oats and was very conscious of a mare in a neighbour’s paddock. Rob Rothacker called in one day and asked me if he could have a good look at the Muckalee Strike colt he’d been hearing good things about.
“Joe was still concentrating on the mare when I walked into his yard, loosened the front rug strap and walked behind him to slide the rug back. Next thing he let me have it with both hind feet and repeated the dose another couple of times. Rob had to drag me out of the yard and I wasn’t sure what damage I’d sustained. As it turned out I suffered no serious injury, but I was very sore and carried the bruising for many weeks. Amazingly that was the only thing he did wrong in his twenty nine years of life.
“He was a near perfect racehorse and had plenty of bottom. Early in his career he started many times at short quotes which meant he had to be put into his races early. He would often circle to the death seat but usually handled the extra workload. His most dominant asset was his inherent soundness. I’m not exaggerating when I say he never took a lame step and he finished his career with unblemished legs - not a sign of splints, windgalls, bumps or lumps. He was truly a trainer’s dream.”
"Joe" belied his years in a 2020 photo at the Morgan's Junortoun property.
Rewind to the mid 1980’s and Bruce was training a filly called Silgerran for owner Stan Rutland. Silgerran was by the well credentialed import Kentucky (USA) from the Armbro Del mare Margarita Del, and had come to Bruce from another stable with a dubious reputation. It was well known that she’d had a heavy tumble in a track trial leaving her with an injury which was never clearly diagnosed.
“She was always on one rein, and when asked to go at her top could run from the inside fence to the outside fence,” recalled Bruce. “Despite her waywardness she showed high speed, and I tried everything to get her right. X rays and scans failed to locate the reason for her intractability.”
Around this time Bruce’s close friend Ian Vlaeminck was involved in a small breeding and racing operation with a few partners. The modus operandi of the Denver Park Syndicate was to breed from their own mares and race the resultant progeny. “Ian Vlaeminck came to me one year with the news that he had one stallion service left over after having booked his mares to other sires for the upcoming breeding season,” said Bruce.
“Ian asked if I was able to supply a mare for a service to the very successful import Muckalee Strike and Silgerran came instantly to mind. We knew she had speed and wasn’t short of depth in her pedigree. Her owner Stan Rutland was happy to go ahead with the arrangement.”
A chestnut colt arrived in September 1992 and an ownership arrangement was quickly established. Denver Park Syndicate would retain a half share, while Stan Rutland and Bruce would each have a quarter share. In early 1994 the Muckalee Strike colt was broken in by Bill Werry who reported that he possessed a lovely gait and a temperament to match. “Bill liked him but didn’t gush with enthusiasm as some horse breakers do,” said Bruce.
Bruce was certainly gushing as the colt entered his two year old year. “He ticked every box and it was obvious he was going to make an early two year old,” Bruce recalled. “He worked many times at Bendigo with a Classic Garry filly trained by Bob Morton. We just bowled around quietly for many months. I’d lead one day, Bob would lead the next. Getting towards the end of one particular preparation we agreed we should let them dash about 300 metres, around the bend and up the straight at Lords Raceway. I came off Bob’s back and got the shock of my life. Joe fairly exploded and the faster he went, the better he paced. He gave me a terrific feel.”
Bruce drove Denver Gift in 14 of his 37 wins.
Around this time Bruce was stunned to hear the news that the Denver Park Syndicate had been disbanded. In recognition of many favours rendered over a period of time, Bruce was given the syndicate’s half share in the promising Muckalee Strike colt. Now a three quarter owner and in view of all the circumstances, he quickly settled on Denver Gift as an appropriate racing name.
The Swan Hill born horseman was well into his fifties when Denver Gift began his racing career, but it would have taken the army to get him out of the sulky at that time. Bruce Morgan actually piloted Denver Gift in his first eight wins which included a Sapling Stakes and a Youthful Stakes both at Moonee Valley. Bruce handed the reins over to Gavin Lang in March of 1996 and the champion reinsman won at his first four drives on a horse now universally known as “Joe”.
Gavin Lang in one of his 15 wins on Denver Gift.
Bruce was disappointed when Denver Gift came up with barrier 9 in the 1996 NSW Pacers Derby at Harold Park, but remained hopeful that Lang could weave some of his trademark magic. The colt eventually started from barrier 8 and settled down in the second half of the field. The master reinsman took off from a midfield position coming to the bell when Il Rapido started a move from the tail of the field. The colt was three wide at the winning post before progressing to the death seat turning to the back. A very fit Denver Gift fairly and squarely outstayed them to win by two metres from Laneway with Mon Poppy Day third. “Joe” registered a very respectable mile rate of 2.00.5 for the 2565 trip.
Denver Gift overcame a tough run to beat Laneway and Mon Poppy Day in the 1996 NSW Derby - courtesy Club Menangle.
Denver Gift returned a year later for the Chariots Of Fire and went within a whisker of completing a rare double. With typical big race artistry Gavin Lang came out of barrier 5 to slot in behind the leader Laneway. Skilfully extricated from a pocket, Denver Gift chimed in three wide on the turn with Kentuckiana on his back. It was disclosed later that driver Robbie Byrnes on Kentuckiana had a preconceived plan to follow Denver Gift every step of the way, and it won him the race. He came off Lang’s back in the last hundred metres and the pair hit the line locked together.
“Val and I were watching from the stand just slightly past the post and we both thought Joe had won,” said Bruce. “Somebody sitting behind advised us not to get our hopes up, and we looked around to see the legendary Vic Frost. We kept the fingers crossed but Vic was right. Kentuckiana got the decision by the bare nose. The Derby win a year earlier had been our supreme thrill. To miss out on the Chariots Of Fire by a thumb nail was our greatest disappointment.”
Bruce got to drive his favourite horse on several more occasions and finished up with a total of 14 wins behind the reliable pacer. Gavin Lang steered him to 15 wins while John Caldow did the honours on 8 occasions. “I’ve got so many wonderful memories of Denver’s racing career it’s hard to know where to start,” said the trainer. “One of my favourites was his very last win. It was the 2000 Cobram Cup with John Caldow in the sulky from a standing start. He went away safely from a 30m handicap, worked himself into the race and outstayed thirteen rivals to give us a huge thrill. He had only a handful of runs after the Cobram win before retiring with a record of 37 wins and 28 placings.”
Denver Gift wasn’t the only nice horse prepared by Bruce Morgan in a long and distinguished training career. He enjoyed several wonderful seasons with Mother Courage - one of the best fillies of her generation. She retired in 2002 with a record of 81 starts for an amazing 30 wins and 28 placings for $462,000. Perhaps the win to give Bruce his greatest kick was a Bendigo Cup success, just across the road from his Junortoun stables.
The astute trainer developed the talents of prolific winners like Ben Ernest, Justin Hanover, Bo Jasper (Tas. Derby), Walberon, Multi Strike, Denver Jane, Gallant Guy, Leigh Dale, Montana Anna (Vic. Oaks), Nifti Knight, Belinda, Melbournian, Southern Spirit, The Dreamtime, Milady Denver, Advance To Go and more recently Bonus Play. Val Morgan says John Caldow has been the most successful driver for the stable with a healthy 335 wins.
Bruce's many friends in Harness Racing were delighted to see him receive the 2017 Gordon Rothacker Medal - courtesy D'Arcy Photography.
As his 80th birthday draws near, the possibility of retirement creeps into Bruce’s thoughts from time to time. Whether he can put the notion into practice is another thing entirely. He currently has only two horses in work at Denver Lodge and is enjoying the easier pace. He’s training rising five year old mare Polly Peachum with whom he’s won five races and hopes there might be one or two more in the offing. Polly Peachum is a daughter of Ruby Slippers, a nine time winner for Denver Lodge while her grand dam is none other than the brilliant Mother Courage.
The other member of Bruce’s duo is a rising three year old filly with the curious name of Lollipop. She’s by Somebeachsomewhere and is owned by Bruce’s friend and long time client Emmy Mazzetti. “I like her a hell of a lot,” was the measured comment by the astute horseman.
It’s to be hoped Lollipop goes well enough to keep Bruce Morgan interested for a while longer yet. The 2017 Gordon Rothacker Medal winner has been an ornament to the ranks of Victorian trainers for more than six decades. More importantly he and Val have made a million friends along the way.
Denver Gift wears the spectacular Derby winners rug at Harold Park 1996.
(Banner image - Denver Gift (Gavin Lang) parades before the 1997 Chariots of Fire in which he was narrowly beaten by Kentuckiana - courtesy Club Menangle.)