Who’s the boss? 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 skillset and snatch her first win.
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In the second race of the National Pony Racing Series at Moonee Valley last Friday night, the youngest rider on the oldest horse broke through for a maiden win, with Echuca’s Mia-Rose Cornish and 20-year-old pony Spots, victorious at The Valley on Cox Plate eve.
Drawn the inside barrier Spots charged home in the final 200m to claim the win and a spot in April’s finals at Randwick Racecourse, which will take place during the famed Sydney Autumn Carnival.
After running fourth at The Valley in March it was a nervous, but exciting run for 10-year-old Cornish, who is a member of Rochester Pony Club.
“It 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 at The Valley, capping 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 the experience of the veteran grey Spots, 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.
The NPRS, launched this year, showcases some of the best junior riders in the country and is run between 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, who the young hoop looked up to before Claridge’s sudden death in 2019.
The five-race series continues in Western Australia in December.
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