Mia-Rose Cornish accepts her winner’s trophy from three-time Melbourne Cup winner Glen Boss. Photo: Jay Town/Racing Photos
Photo by
Jay Town
At one of Melbourne’s foremost racing venues, a young country rider stood tall to showcase her skills and snatch her first win.
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In the second race of the National Pony Racing Series at The Valley on Cox Plate eve last Friday, the youngest rider on the oldest horse broke through for a maiden win in the form of Echuca’s Mia-Rose Cornish and 20-year-old pony Spots.
Drawn in the inside barrier, Spots charged home in the final 200m to claim the win and a spot in next April’s finals at Randwick racecourse, which will take place during the Sydney autumn carnival.
After finishing fourth at The Valley in March, it was a nervous but exciting run for the 10-year-old Cornish, who is a member of Rochester Pony Club.
“I was nervous, but it was really good,” Cornish said.
“She’s an amazing pony, and she looks after me.
“I was really excited that we won, but she can definitely go faster.”
Bonding: Mia-Rose Cornish and Spots the pony share a happy moment. Photo: Aidan Briggs
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Post-race, an ecstatic Cornish accepted the winner’s trophy from three-time Melbourne Cup winner Glen Boss in front of the big crowd, capping off an exciting day on and off the track.
The feat was made more impressive by the fact Cornish was one of the youngest riders in the field, but her youth, coupled with Spots’ experience, proved a dynamic combination.
It will hopefully be the first of many wins for the young Echuca talent in a relatively new initiative in Australian racing.
Launched this year, the NPRS showcases some of the best junior riders in the country and is run by Thoroughbred Industry Careers and Pony Club Australia, providing an opportunity for prospective young hoops to hone their craft and gain an understanding of the racing industry.
With hopes to follow in the footsteps of trainer parents Donna and Mick, Cornish has had no shortage of inspiration and expert advice at such a young age, including late Echuca jockey Mikaela Claridge, whom the young hoop looked up to before Claridge’s sudden passing in 2019.
The five-race series continues in Western Australia in December.
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