The 17-year-old was naturally thrilled, but the number of handshakes and hugs from drivers, trainers and friends as he returned to the stalls tell you the esteem in which he is held within the industry.
The Ashburton teenager has been chasing his first career win since he began driving at the races in October with 2 years of combined trials and workout drives behind him.
"I've had a lot of trial drives and workout drives and it's resulted in getting a lot of drives on race day," he said.
"A lot" is about right.
Morrison was up to his 132nd career drive yesterday, but the lack of success in the 131 starts before were not for lack of trying.
Many of Morrison's drives have been perfect - but he has simply lacked the horsepower to benefit from a good drive.
He joined up with a hardy campaigner Motu Speedy Star yesterday and Morrison's heady drive also took the 11yr-old past $100,000 in stakes from 181 starts.
Morrison was quick to call his father, Chris, in for the winning photo, but there was a touch of emotion about the teenager as he recalled his late mother, Suzie.
"There was one person missing and that would have to be my mum who died when I was about 3. She was into the horses, too."
Father Chris is everpresent at Canterbury meetings both as a trainer and as the operator of the mobile arm of his saddlery business, so it is no surprise Morrison took a shine to the standardbreds.
"I was probably about an 8-year-old when I started driving then and got a bit keen on it straight away. Well, I was always keen on it."
