Born to be king - Mighty Morphett
By TMX Archives on 16th Jul 08
BEN Morphett stitched up the Youth A class Trials Championship on Sunday at Merthyr Tydfil with the final round still to come in the Lake District. The 15-year-old from Herne Bay, who moved up to A class early, has never taken his eyes off the ball all a season, writes Barry Robinson.
This season Ben has never missed the podium and won the Bracken Rocks, Isle of Wight and Ipstones rounds plus placed runner-up at Scarborough, Dob Park, and Merthyr. That second place last Sunday clinched the championship.
Ben first threw a leg over a PW50 at the age of two and half. Just after his eighth birthday it was the indestructable TY80 Yamaha and his name
on the membership list of the active Kent Youth Trials Club. He won his
first event at Sturry Woods on August 12, 2000 - a date he does not forget. His first major victory was in Yorkshire, an Eboracum British championship trial.
The drop-points kicked in in 2002 when he grossed top in Class D but lost the title on the drop score.
That was on a Beta 50 but a 125 Gas Gas was on the cards for 2003 and Class C.
In 2004 the level went up with 23 starts and the same number of victories. Ben applied to the Trials & Enduro Committee for dispensation to move up to Class B for 2005 where seventh and a YMSA win were the nett results. That under-age move was a worthwhile gamble because the Class B title was in the bag plus ninth in the Euro Youth series.
Again dispensation was sought from Rugby to climb to Class A, two years under the age barrier. The move paid off with a a second on the Isle of Wight then winning at tough Bracken Rocks. He was second in 2007 when technically two years under the age cut. His best ride, at his favourite venue, was Bracken Rocks in May. That lone back of the field ride, in soggy damp conditions, was quite brilliant.
Ben has likings for pasta and Indian food, wields a mean squash racket, rides BMX, bike trials and spends time in the gym. His thoughts now are on the next two years in Class A plus European success and ultimately a move onto the World scene.