Team Cornish set to strike at Kilcoy

By Glenn Davis

Beaudesert trainer Greg Cornish is hopeful Dream Entity will be on her best behaviour to overcome a barrier concern when the mare heads to Kilcoy on Tuesday.

Dream Entity will be ridden by Cornish’s daughter Jasmine in the Benchmark 62 Handicap over 1200 metres.

Jasmine Cornish is locked in a tight battle with Angela Jones for the state’s apprentices’ provincial premiership honours.

Cornish has collected 78.5 winners for the campaign, which is just half a win behind Jones in their premiership battle.

Both apprentices are in-form after each rode a winner at Gatton last Friday while Cornish also had a win at Toowoomba on Saturday night.

Jones booted one home at the Sunshine Coast meeting on Sunday, as well. 

Dream Entity has been racing consistently with two wins and four placings from 14 starts and is coming off a last start fourth to the Jon Walk-trained Master Red in a Benchmark race at the Gold Coast on July 16.

Trainer Cornish is unconcerned with a Heavy 10 rating for Kilcoy.

“She’s been missing the start lately but if she jumps well, she’ll be hard to beat,” Cornish said.

“She loves the wet and my biggest worry is how she steps away.

“Jasmine has ridden her most of her career and she’s aware of her bad starts.”

The father and daughter combination has become a lethal force on the provincial and country circuit.

The pair have teamed up on 146 occasions for 22 wins and 37 placings.

Jasmine’s mother Sheree Drake was a popular jockey in her own right before injury ended her career several years ago.

Drake is now a valuable assistant around the Cornish stable.

Greg Cornish’s greatest claim to fame was being the last apprentice to ride for Phar Lap’s strapper, Tommy Woodcock, before his death in 1985.

“I was with Tommy for five years and I learnt everything I know off him,” Cornish said.

“I rode Reckless in all his work and won two races on him at Flemington."

Reckless won the Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide Cup's in 1977 and ran second to Gold And Black in the Melbourne Cup as well as being placed in a Perth Cup.

“That all happened in one year and no horse will ever equal that,” Cornish said.