CORNISH MAKES THE MOST OF AN OPPORTUNITY HANDED TO HER BY A TOP BRISBANE STABLE

By Graham Potter | Saturday, June 25, 2022

One of the tricks to plotting a successful path as a jockey is to start riding winners for big stables.

It is not a magic trick though, but rather a hard-earned step-by-step process. In the first place you have to be given the opportunity and, secondly, you have to make the most of the ride or rides you are given.

When a top stable gives an apprentice a ride the main reason is usually to give their horse some weight relief, but it can also be that they have seen enough potential in a young rider to make it worth the risk that their inexperience brings … and when multiple Group 1 winning trainer and multiple Brisbane Trainer’s Premiership winner Robert Heathcote elected to put Jasmine Cornish on Platini in a Class 4 Handicap over 1350m at the Gold Coast on June 25, you would have to think that both of those factors were in play in terms of rider selection.

This was Platini’s fifth run for Heathcote since transferring from the Ellerton and Zahra stable. The five-year-old Charge Forward gelding had won a BM68 race over 1400m at Gatton on June 10, a race in which Heathcote also utilised the claim (3kg) of apprentice Lily Barr to good advantage … but this run represented a greater challenge, particularly as the betting had Witchfulthinking, who was having her first run for trainer Kacy Fogden, seemingly unbeatable at a starting price of $1.95.

Platini, a last start winner, would start at $6.50.

Witchfulthinking went out into an immediate lead at the break with Cornish settling Platini in fourth then fifth spot, trailing the leader by some six lengths down the back straight as the field began to spread out.

Platini still had that deficit to make up at the start of the sweep to the home turn, but by the time the field reached the corner Cornish had improved Platini’s position marginally as she sought to cut back the margin on the frontrunners where Brook Hill ($7) had joined issue with Witchfulthinking at the head of affairs.

The two leaders kicked away strongly in the first half of the straight. Platini was still fourth then, still with plenty of ground to make up … and when Brook Hill got the better of Witchfulthinking it looked like he had the race won and that Platini, who was running on nicely enough, was now only chasing for a minor placing.

But it wasn’t over yet.

Platini and Cornish were propelled by a ‘never say die’ attitude over the final 120m and they closed up surprisingly quickly on Brook Hill, but, even then, when they flashed through the line together the commentator’s call went against Platini … “Brook Hill in front … clinging on. Platini late … too late … Brook Hill has clung on to beat Platini,” announced the race caller.

But it wasn’t over yet.

When the official result came up, Platini was the winner by the narrowest of margins in what was a last gasp victory.

Cornish had taken her opportunity.

More articles