All smiles for Laura Morgan as Big Changes secures poignant victory for the yard

Big Changes provided Laura Morgan with an emotional victory as the trainer’s career-best season continued.

The six-year-old eased to success in the 2m6½f handicap chase and Morgan, having her 36th winner of the campaign, explained why the result had extra significance.

She said: “Kirsty [Whitbread], who has been my best friend for years, had breast cancer really badly. It’s her birthday today and she looks after him — she absolutely adores him.

“Alan Rogers, who previously owned him, said he wanted to sell him and Kirsty forced me not to. She had some savings and wanted to send me the money for her to buy him, so she’s absolutely delighted.

“I saw her in the hospital so for her to be here after what she’s been through is incredible and it’s nice he’s done that for her.”

Morgan’s season keeps improving and although she has moved past last year’s tally of 34, she has no plans slowing down.

She added: “We’re having a fantastic season. We’ve only got 40 in training and that’s the maximum we can house. If we got to 50 by the end of the season, I’d be absolutely delighted.

“We just want to improve every year and keep bashing out the winners, hopefully the Saturday horses can win because it’s the one thing that gets to me.

“We have kept training winners and that’s key to attracting owners so hopefully we’ll keep doing that and we’ll get there eventually.”

Closing in

Fergal O’Brien recorded his 121st winner of the season and moved to within seven of equalling last term's career-best tally when Great Heart'jac landed the opening 2m handicap chase.

The trainer then witnessed his daughter Fern secure her first jumps victory aboard the Ben Brookhouse-trained Espoir De Teillee in the 2m6½f hunters’ chase.

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