Rylie Morgan
How did you get involved in racing?
I don’t have the usual family ties like most people and actually just grew a love for it once I finished school and could put more time into it. I loved the stories attached to it, the romance of it, and started focusing on and really enjoying doing form for WA racing in my own time, posting my tips for free on Twitter (for better or worse…). I went okay early, developed a bit of a following, did some podcast work, and before I knew it I was offered some casual work at Racing WA, race-day producing and presenting while I was still floating through uni. Four years later and I’m still here!
What is a memorable moment or experience that confirmed your passion for horse racing?
A couple of horses and their respective stories very early doors that I fell in love with really opened the door for me and my passion for racing, Chautauqua and Mystic Journey. While neither are from WA, following their careers helped light the fire and draw me further into the sport. In terms of my own memories on course, nothing beats working in the mounting yard for Ollie’s treble on his final day in the saddle. Never seen anything like it and most likely won’t ever again!
What is your favourite track to cover, and why?
Hard to beat HQ (Ascot) on a carnival day. But my niche since Racing WA TV’s inception has been the country tracks, so I’ll have to throw Carnarvon and Broome into the mix. Incredibly unique tracks, and there’s not much better than being on-course at either of those venues when the sun is setting in the late afternoon.
How would you describe your approach to form analysis?
A balanced mix of data, speed maps and replay watching. I do my best to envision how a race might be run, how that race shape might suit certain horses, and whether there’s any value in the market for runners of interest. Trial watching has been a big edge I’ve found since I started doing form.
What factors do you value most when doing the form?
I’d say map is the biggest one, particularly in races over the shorter course, which I’d say is more of a strength of mine compared to middle-distance or staying races. Assessing how strong certain form references are, using data to help attain that information, plenty of replay watching, and jockeys/trainers are also something that needs to be in heavy consideration.
Most memorable win on the punt?
Elite Street’s Winterbottom win. I’d followed him the whole way through the preparation, working through his grades in ratings races, and something just told me he was a Winterbottom horse. He got out to upwards of $41 before they jumped and is probably still, to this day, the longest-priced winner I’ve had a good crack at. Ima Single Man in the 2020 Karrakatta Plate was another I was particularly proud of. A couple of nice trumpets there.