No doubt about Jason Morgan and Doubting Eye’s chances at Callaghan Park tomorrow.

Four-year-old Doubting Eye has an admirable Callaghan Park record and the talented galloper, last year’s Horse of the Year runner-up, looks ready to find his best form at his favourite track on Friday.

His trainer Jason Morgan, who won the Chas Jones Memorial Award for outstanding achievements with a small team last year, is confident the well-bred gelding can open its 2024-25 winning account. Last season Doubting Eye won at Callaghan Park five times including one victory over 1200m, the distance for Friday’s Great Northern Open Handicap. The small field has dished up a few winning chances including topweight Mill Rossa, an eight-time winner trained at Toowoomba by Mark Currie. The Currie stable has a team of runners at Callaghan Park, with leading jockey Justin Stanley to ride Mill Rossa.

Morgan has booked 3kg claiming apprentice Amy Graham to reduce his galloper’s handicap weight and boost his chances of winning his first open company race. It will be Graham’s first ride on the talented son of Not A Single Doubt.

“I don’t know a lot about Amy, but I have watched the videos of some of her recent rides in the south-east and she sits on really well, her manager rang seeking the ride and I thought it made a lot of sense to take the 3kg off my horses back,” Morgan said.

Doubting Eye was mainly ridden last season by Warwick Satherley who is currently holidaying overseas. Jackson Murphy was on board when the galloper had its only other run in Open company in the Townsville Lightning (1000m).

“I thought that run was terrific,” Morgan said. “He did well in that class and this race is no Lightning,” Morgan said he made a mistake backing the horse up quickly after that but has been pleased with Doubting Eye’s progress at his two most recent starts in late August and mid-September. “Both runs have been good with big weights of over 60kg and just under 60kg, so with the apprentice allowance this time, my horse will think he has a feather on his back.”

Morgan, who has just four horses in his team, including a new addition purchased from Annabel Neesham last month, reckons Doubting Eye, a $9,000 Inglis online sale buy 12 months ago, has blossomed over the last couple of weeks.

“The 1200 will suit him this time but as he is by Not A Single Doubt, I expect him to run further and will get better over 1400m and longer in time,” he said.

Doubting Eye’s dam Kanga’s Joy (by Denman) ran second in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) in 2016 at Randwick and her pedigree is dotted with champion bloodlines. Her grand dam, Sky Watch, by Star Watch won $319,000 and was successful up to 2200m, winning the Grand Prix at Eagle Farm.

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Photo Credit: Caught in the Act Photography CQ.