By Dave Di Somma Harness News Desk
It’s been a decent wait between wins and Auckland trainer Steve Cornwall rates Sassy Star’s victory at Cambridge Raceway as “one of his most satisfying yet.”
Sassy Star and James Stormont thwarted So Mystifying by a nose to win the Racing, Resilience and Rural Women 15 October Mobile Trot on October 8.
It was her eighth start for Cornwall after she’d been trucked north earlier this year after doing all her early racing, including having four wins, for Ashburton trainers Brent and Tim White.
Her ability has never been questioned, but her temperament has been flighty (to be kind).
“She’s a lovely horse to have around,” since Cornwall, “but she can be a bit antsy and single-minded.”
“She’s had more than 50 starts and 40 gallops!”
Cornwall encouraged co-breeder-owners Dave and Gay Luke to send her to him for “a change of environment.”
“It was a challenge but we weren’t going to let her beat us.’
While he does his fast work at the nearby Pukekohe track, Cornwall also does a lot of what he calls “paddock training”.
“I’ve got a wee jog track at home and I do a lot of strong work here – I just bowl around three miles in 10 minutes and have her off the side of the truck. Who am I to argue? If it rains I just put the window up.”
The approach seems to be working.
It was Sassy Star’s first win at start number eight for Cornwall. It was also her first win in 25 starts since August 2023, and her fifth overall in 51 starts.
“I know it was just a minor race at a minor meeting but it was one of the most satisfying I’ve had.”
And that’s because of the time and effort involved.
Cornwall, an accountant at Woodlands says his wife Steffi, driver James Stormont, Dave and Clare McGowan and farrier Amanda Kiddie have all played their part in getting the horse’s mind and body race ready.
It was also Cornwall’s first training success since Enable Me won at Alexandra Park in 2018 – though that was completely different.
“It was a walkover, she was the only horse in a Breeders Crown heat but the stipes made me race!”
“She kept trotting and we got five grand.”
Other horses Cornwall’s campaigned with success include Starza Rising, Star Filly, Mob Star and Sassy Star’s dam My Mums Astar.
“The Star horses were all bred by Dave and Gay Luke. Sassy Star’s win was my 10th for the Lukes.”
