Greg Cornish speaks on racing injury to daughter Jasmine Cornish

Trainer and father Greg Cornish has provided a devastating update on his daughter, champion jockey Jasmine Cornish, following her fall at the Beaudesert trials on Tuesday.

Jasmine and Greg Cornish celebrate winning the Beaudesert Cup together. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

Trainer and father Greg Cornish has revealed the extent of his daughter’s injury following her dramatic fall during a practice ride on Tuesday, November 8.

Jasmine Cornish, who took home the Ipswich and Gatton premiership and the Queensland provincial apprentice title in 2021/22 after only race riding for the past 1.5 years, is facing an uncertain future after a disastrous injury this week.

Greg Cornish said the incident occurred on his runner Reflecting Image in heat eight at the Beaudesert trials.

“Basically there were witches hats in the middle of the track from the previous trial and the horses in front of her came in front of her and took her running,” he said.

“The horse came down and Jasmine hit the ground and sustained a back injury.

“She was in and out of consciousness and was taken straight to the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

“She’s got a fracture to the T4 in her back and will go for an operation early this morning.”

Jasmine and Greg Cornish celebrate winning the Beaudesert Cup together. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography.

Mr Cornish said she would be sidelined for an extended period of time.

“She’ll be out for a very long time,” he said.

“Six to 12 months they’re saying.”

It’s a cruel setback for the 20-year-old as just hours before the trials began she spoke about her drive to improve.

“I’ve had such a great season, it’s definitely been a confidence boost for me,” she said.

“I had a lot of support from a number of good trainers and got aboard some nice horses so I had a lot of fun.

“Even riding a winner for Chris Waller recently in town was amazing.

“I was so thankful that they gave me the opportunity and Chris gave me a call the following week to congratulate me and ask a bit about me which was really nice.”

Jasmine Cornish at Clifford Park racecourse. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Cornish finished half-a-win ahead of rising star Angela Jones in the 2021/22 standings and had started the 2022/23 season in similar fashion, sitting third in the provincial apprentice jockeys and second in the metropolitan apprentice jockeys standings.

“I would say I’m just taking things in my stride,” she said.

“I’d just like to keep riding as many winners as I can, getting as many opportunities as I can and keep performing well.

“Hopefully it’s not too soon too where I can get a winner in town for dad which will be a really special day when it comes for us to be able to share that success.”

Cornish is the racing product of her father, Greg Cornish, who was an apprentice jockey to Tommy Woodcock and now an established trainer and her mother, Sheree Drake, who rode over 300 winners in her career.