CATCHING UP WITH CORNISH

By Graham Potter | Thursday, August 18, 2022

It is pretty much a pattern for many jockeys to take a short break around the end of the racing season to recharge and to perhaps reflect and set new goals for the next twelve months.

Most welcome the break, but others like the newly crowned Queensland Apprentice Jockey Premiership winner Jasmine Cornish, find it harder to step away from racing when they are not injured or suspended with many rides on offer … it irks her, to say the least … but it is the sensible thing to do and so Cornish reluctantly submitted to some pre-arranged downtime by taking a week’s holiday away after riding at the midweek Metropolitan meeting at Doomben on July 10.

Cornish had six-hundred-and-sixty-four rides last season across Country, Provincial and Metropolitan racing … a huge workload … so she clearly deserved the break … but, given her mindset of wanting to get on with it, you can only imagine the enthusiasm with which she will tackle her riding assignments when she returns to action at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Speaking before leaving the track at Doomben last Wednesday, Cornish put her thoughts about the past, the present and the future into perspective.

“Last season was obviously my first full season as a jockey,” said Cornish, “and I’ve had a lot of success.

“The Premiership obviously … particularly because it was such a hard-fought win … was a highlight for me, but so was my win in the Digger’s Cup and the Beaudesert Cup, because, with both of them being at my home track, all my friends come out and support me … and it is just such a great atmosphere.

“I feel like I filled my races at every meeting with as many rides as I could,” explained Cornish. “I was trying to get as many opportunities riding for a broad number of trainers … because that is how you get experience and getting as much experience as I did last season was really good for me.

“I just set out wanting to learn as much as I could … and to learn every day. You know, being an apprentice jockey, I was happy to ride what was offered to me thinking that every ride would be a learning experience which would help me to learn to give every horse I was riding every chance in a race … and, of course, you always want to ride as many winners as you can.

“As far as the present is concerned, I am going away for a week … and I think I’ve been offered the most rides for the week that I will be away than I have before. I have been offered that many rides this week that I am kicking myself … but I am just going to have to close my eyes and enjoy the break as best I can,” said Cornish.

“The future … I have had some rides in town, and I plan to come to town more this season, initially at least once or twice a week to ride work if I can. We are working on getting another track rider at home (for the Greg Cornish stable) … I’m going to start training up one of my friends to start riding at home to help dad out … and that would free me up.

“I have spoken to dad about it. Obviously, I know I have to be fully committed when I come to town. You can’t half do it!

“Rob Heathcote has given me so many opportunities already which I really appreciate. It was so unexpected, that I feel like its kind of mind-blowing for me.

"I just wasn’t expected this sort of opportunity to be given to me so early in my career, but it does build your confidence at the same time so, again, that has helped me along.

“When everything is in place at home … which is likely to happen sooner than later … I would be super keen to get my own place in Brisbane, so that I can give town a full go.

“That, as I see it, will be my next important step. I know it is a sharper learning curve there, but I’m very keen to take it on,” concluded Cornish.

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