LEMON DUCHESS STRIKES FOR TEAM CORNISH AT $26

By Graham Potter | Sunday, May 15, 2022

The Greg Cornish trained Lemon Duchess gained her fifth career victory when she stayed on strongly under the superb handling of Jasmine Cornish to win a BM65 Handicap over 1400m on the Sunshine Coast Poly Track on May 15.

It was the last race on a big ten race card … but, for those following the stable, it was worth the wait, particularly at odds of $26!

This was the fourth time that Cornish had won on Lemon Duchess in nine rides on the four-year-old (underlining just what a useful horse and rider partnership this is) … and it was also the second win in three starts this preparation for the daughter of Tycoon Ruler.

Lemon Duchess’s versatility also stands to her credit with her last three wins coming on good going, heavy going and now on the Poly Track … which opens up the options nicely enough for trainer Greg Cornish.

The joint rank outsider in the ten-horse field, Lemon Duchess was caught four wide in the early part but Cornish pushed her forward, to the degree that she was able to take up the running after the field had travelled the first 200m of the 1400m trip.

From there, having used a bit of gas early, it became all about how well Cornish could rate Lemon Duchess at the head of affairs.

Lemon Duchess maintained a one length lead at a comfortable gallop all the way down the back stretch, and Cornish continued to rate Lemon Duchess to suit herself in the sweep to the home turn where the field began to bunch up.

Lemon Duchess was still hugging the rail on straightening, but her lead was now only a neck as a wall of horses fanned out to her outside, spread across the track, looking to test the long-time leader.

Cornish bided her time for just that little bit longer before starting to push Lemon Duchess out with her wrists inside the final 200m as the Annabel Neasham trained pair Gwan So and Awe started to look serious dangers coming down the centre of the track.

Cornish’s judgement had proved to be spot on though, as Lemon Duchess extended in concentrated fashion all the way to the line to score by 0.40 lengths and claim a well-deserved victory, having had to put in the work at both ends.

Lemon Duchess’s race record now stands at five wins from twenty-five starts with four minor placings.
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Earlier in the day the Cornish trainer / jockey team also scored an eye-catching second place finish with the six-year-old gelding Coronel.

The veteran of forty-one starts put in a good effort to finish within 0.80 lengths of the winner in a BM58 Handicap over 1400m.

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