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Family affair as Cornish chases first provincial double

25 July 2021

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cornish.jpgBy Glenn Davis

It could be party time for the Cornish family if rookie apprentice Jasmine Cornish can bring up her first provincial double at Gatton on Tuesday afternoon. 

Cornish has seven rides at the meeting, including five for her father, Greg Cornish, who trains on a property at Beaudesert, south of Brisbane.

The 19-year-old has a strike rate of almost 12 per cent with 11 wins and 32 placings from only 94 rides.

Jasmine Cornish’s mother, Sheree Drake, was a popular jockey in her own right before injury ended her career four years ago and is now a valuable assistant around the stables.

Cornish and Drake also have another daughter Kirsty, 23, who rides track work for Gold Coast trainer Gillian Heinrich.

Jasmine Cornish’s rides for her father are: Rocky Nugget in the Benchmark 65 Handicap, Righteousness and Lemon Duchess in the two divisions of the Benchmark 58 Handicap, Clickety Clicks in the Benchmark 55 Handicap and Royalspector in the Class 3 Plate.

Cornish only gained her apprentice jockey licence on April 25 this year, 17 years to the day since her mother was first licensed to ride.

80f6f189-8c1b-47fe-bd7e-5ba2e070207c.jpgIn an ironic twist, both mother and daughter made their race debuts at Beaudesert.

While Rocky Nugget was Sheree Drake’s last ride in a race and was the first ever race ride for her daughter.

“My last ride in a race was on Rocky Nugget, when he ran third at Ipswich in 2017, and Jasmine had her first ride on him at Beaudesert,” Drake said.

Greg Cornish rates Rocky Nugget and Lemon Duchess as his daughter’s best hope of achieving her first double.

Rocky Nugget has not started since winning over 1200 metres at Nanango on May 22 while Lemon Duchess is coming off a last start win over 1170 metres on the sand track at Gympie on July 17.

“Lemon Duchess won well at Gympie last start and it’s given her a lot of confidence,” Cornish said.

“Rocky Nugget did a great job when he won at Nanango when he last raced and he nearly broke the track record that day.

“I thought Royalspector had a chance to win again but I’m a little worried about him drawing wide.”

Royalspector is chasing a hat-trick of wins after breaking his maiden status at Esk on June 12 before an easy win on a heavy track at Beaudesert on July 10.