There were a number of classy riding displays at Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting, none better than Larry Cassidy’s performance on the fashionably bred Tyresa in the two year old stakes race. The win brought up a double for trainer Kelly Schweida who’d won the Tattersall’s Cup with London Banker earlier in the day, and provided Cassidy with some consolation for a narrow defeat on Bold Pedro in the opening race. A stakes win enhances the value of Tyresa whose dam Stresa is a half sister to Golden Slipper winner Capitalist. Tyresa and Capitalist are both by Written Tycoon.
Tyresa jumped on terms with the field in the 1400m event, but showed no early dash and settled down with only two behind her. From that point on, the astute Cassidy was able to ride the kind of race he likes to ride - cool and composed with unfettered momentum an absolute priority. He’s been riding that way since he followed brother Jim to Sydney in 1992. He had the long striding Tyresa beautifully balanced behind a pretty thick clump of horses on the turn, but was able to pop into the clear at precisely the right moment. The filly picked up perhaps more quickly than expected, and had it won in a twinkling. She scored comprehensively from Honey Pot and Kamitori, looking very much like a horse who’ll get a mile and further.
Win number 2804 for the expat Kiwi jockey. He knows time is running out but he'll be giving the 3000 milestone his best shot - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Kelly Schweida is one of several Eagle Farm trainers for whom Larry Cassidy rides work three mornings a week - others include Chris Munce, Brian Wakefield, Barry Lockwood, and Brian Smith. “If I ask him to be there at 4.30am, he’ll be there on the dot,” says Schweida. “Apart from his reliability he’s a very good judge. I’m always pleased when he gives one of my horses the tick of approval. His race riding is still of a very high standard. His nerve is intact, his judgement is sharp and he can punch one to the line with the best of them. Jockeys who can get a little trigger happy should watch the way Larry Cassidy lets a horse go through its gears.”
Only a minority of jockeys and trainers have a grasp on their career statistics. As an apprentice Larry got into the habit of recording the name of every mount and the details of every race in which he rode. Four decades later that habit remains intact, providing journalists with easy research. The accuracy of his records enabled the jockey to nominate a recent midweek win as a very important milestone in his long career. He gave the Brian Smith trained Soubrette the run of the race before snatching a narrow win in a BM70 at Eagle Farm. The grey mare gave Larry an astonishing 2800 career wins which includes 42 Gr 1 victories and a total of 280 black type events.
“Another 196 wins seems a very tall order but gives me a tremendous incentive at this late stage of my career,” said the experienced jockey. “I’ll be 52 next month but veteran jockeys seem to do well in the state of Queensland. Jeff Lloyd was almost 57 when he won his fourth Brisbane premiership a few years ago. Jim Byrne’s around the 50 mark, Michael Cahill who’ll be resuming from injury shortly is 56 or 57, while Robbie Fradd makes light of his 57 years. My weight’s fine and I’m still enjoying my riding. I’ll give the 3000 milestone my best shot.”
This mid week win on Soubrette in early May went unnoticed - it was Larry's 2800th career win - courtesy Trackside Photography.
It’s astonishing to think the veteran jockey is still looking for new horizons seven years after a chronic disorder in both knees looked certain to finish his career. He was conscious of niggling issues the day he picked up the ride on Winx in the Sunshine Coast Guineas. The emerging superstar’s incredible win prompted Larry to declare that she was potentially better than his all time favourite Sunline. Two weeks after that race he experienced excruciating pain in his right knee as he dismounted from a horse at Doomben.
Extensive investigation revealed severe meniscal tears in both knees - a condition aggravated by any twisting or rotation. He was devastated when specialists ordered not only a long break from race riding, but long periods “off his feet”. This was akin to a death sentence for the hyper-active Cassidy who has difficulty sitting still at the best of times. A comeback attempt after a couple of months failed miserably when he sustained stress fractures in the tibia and fibula of both legs - a development doctors couldn’t explain. More months of inactivity and tedium followed, and then another aborted comeback.
“I was never diagnosed with depression, but reflecting on it now I’m pretty sure I developed the condition,” the jockey recalled. “As the boredom levels increased so did my weight. I got to 68kgs and felt awful. Even when I’m riding I like to exercise between race days. Doing nothing was driving me crazy. The worst part was the realisation that I was almost certainly finished as a jockey. I’d had a couple of unsuccessful surgical procedures and there was no light at the end of the tunnel.”
Almost eighteen months after his initial diagnosis, Larry took the law into his own hands. Convinced that the damaged cartilage had repaired to some degree, he embarked on a jogging routine. Even though he started out quietly the pain was intense, and he was resigned to defeat. The plucky Kiwi tried again the following day and the day after that. He could feel definite improvement and as the weeks wore on the pain all but subsided. Before long he was back at Eagle Farm trackwork. “My legs were like jelly the first couple of times, but after a month I was riding five or six horses a morning,” said Larry. “My first win on resuming was on a horse called Sony Legend for Brian Smith at Doomben. It was almost as good as winning the Doncaster on Sunline.”
Larry's knee issues began shortly after his stunning win on Winx in the 2015 Sunshine Coast Guineas - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Larry hasn’t stopped riding winners since. He gets the odd twinge in both knees and feels cold weather more than he did previously, but his riding is unaffected. “Even the doctors can’t explain the recovery I made after my original prognosis,” he said. “I can’t say a jogging routine would work for others with similar problems, but it worked for me. I’m just hoping the old knees will last me for another two or three years while I have a crack at that 3000 win haul.”
Larry Cassidy’s Australian career began with a bang in 1992 when he won the Gr 1 George Main Stakes on Coronation Day for the late Max Lees - a ride that came his way on the recommendation of brother Jim who couldn’t make the three year old’s weight. It wasn’t long before Larry’s professionalism, cheery nature and ability to ride light brought him to the attention of many leading stables. He was promoted to the exalted position of top rider for the huge Crown Lodge operation on the surprise retirement of Darren Beadman in late 1997. That appointment would take him to three Sydney jockey’s premierships and many Group 1 wins for John Hawkes, Gai Waterhouse and other leading stables.
In the aftermath of his well-documented split with Crown Lodge, opportunities were not as plentiful in Sydney. A move to Brisbane made good sense. He was young enough to re-establish himself, his wife Michelle was delighted to return to her hometown while son Luke and daughter Jade then 12 and 6 respectively, were unlikely to be unsettled by the change. Larry got away to a flying start in June 2009 with a Queensland Derby win on Court Ruler. His future was assured.
Sunline looked a "weighted certainty" in the 1999 Doncaster and won accordingly - one of Larry's 6 wins on the champion mare - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Luke is now 25 and in the final year of a medical degree at the Notre Dame University in Sydney. “He’ll be a junior medical officer by this time next year,” said his proud father. “I’ve never seen a young person with such an appetite for study. He’s not happy if he doesn’t have his head in a book. I can’t believe he’ll soon be known as Dr Cassidy.
“My nineteen year old daughter Jade has always been interested in the world of entertainment. Not surprisingly she’s pursuing a Fine Arts Degree majoring in drama, and is doing a journalism course at the same time. Michelle who was a nurse in Brisbane in her early days, is currently occupied helping to manage my career. She virtually controls my diet and nutrition regime. She got me through that horror period when I thought my career was over. She deserves a medal.”
Larry’s looking at age 55 as his likely retirement date, with or without the magical 3000 win tally. That would take him past the retirement age of his legendary brother Jim who called it quits after the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival just before his 53rd birthday. Jim never worried about riding statistics but was especially thrilled to notch his 100th Gr 1 on Zoustar in the 2013 Coolmore Stud Stakes. He’d closed off at 104 by the time he called it a day.
“Jimmy was a better jockey than me,” said Larry. “He was an absolute natural from the day he first sat on a racehorse. He would do things instinctively in a race and most times it would turn out to be the right thing. I was a worker. I just kept chipping away and made the most of it.”
That’s a typically humble statement from a jockey who boasts an imposing record at the elite level. Just for the record he won a Flight Stakes and Doncaster on Sunline, a Doncaster on Secret Savings, Sydney Cup (Linesman), Victoria Derby (Arena), Rosehill Guineas (Carnegie Express), Myer Classic (Lotteria), Epsom and Chipping Norton (Desert War), Epsom (Golden Sword), Brisbane Cups (Yippyio and Portland Singa), Epsom and Queensland Derby (Dodge), Chipping Norton Stakes (Juggler), George Main Stakes (March Hare), AJC Derby (Ivory’s Irish) and that’s only half of them.
Larry was 29 when he won the Doncaster on Sunline - a great moment for the young jockey - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
He still rues the untimely demise of the brilliant filly Unworldly who had to be put down following a tragic breakdown in a Warwick Farm track gallop. Larry won three races on the daughter of Quest For Fame including the Gr 1 Flight Stakes and had no doubt she was heading for the big time. “Her loss was a huge blow to the Inghams and to John Hawkes,” recalled the jockey.
An interesting three years lies ahead. Thanks to Michelle’s strict diet guidelines Larry’s comfortable at 54kgs and could make 53kgs if given notice for the right opportunity. His unfailing attendance at trackwork will bring opportunities and help him to retain fitness levels. The much publicised knee cartilage or lack of it seems to be under control, and it’s obvious he still enjoys poking one through a needle eye opening. As Kelly Schweida says nobody “puts ‘em through their gears” better than Larry Cassidy.
With a bit of help from Brisbane trainers, that elusive 3000 is an achievable target.
Larry's concentration at the batting crease is just as intense as it is at the races. He made an appearance in a recent City Slickers vs Country charity match - courtesy Trackside Photography.
(Banner image - Long striding Tyresa was dominant in winning at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Cassidy's ride was a contributing factor - courtesy Trackside Photography.)