Most observers would have plumped for Rob Heathcote as the happiest trainer to be found anywhere in Australia on Saturday. His reaction to Rothfire’s win in the Gr 2 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley was perfectly predictable in light of the gelding’s well documented comeback from the horrific injury he suffered in the Golden Rose two years ago.
Fifteen hundred kilometres away at the Grafton meeting, there was another winning trainer whose post race elation was in the Heathcote class for totally different reasons at a completely different level. For Cassie Schmidt, a win in the G&R Timber Merchants Peter Schumacher Memorial Maiden with Gulf Of Tomini beat the heck out of any Group 2 victory at Moonee Valley. As a former jockey Cassie was humbled to train the winner of a race named in honour of the popular country jockey who lost his life in a Grafton race fall forty six years ago.
Cassie Schmidt couldn't hide her elation after Gulf Of Tomini's win. Fiance Luke Rolls looks on - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Cassie’s heart was racing as she waited near the winner’s circle for her fiance Luke Rolls to bring this very important horse back to scale. Important because he had just given the twenty nine year old her first win just eight weeks after acquiring her trainer’s licence. Important because he’d vindicated the faith shown in her ability by Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle. Gulf Of Tomini had been previously trained by Doyle recording two placings in ten starts. “Nathan was of the opinion he wasn’t completely genuine and likely to be improved by a complete change of scenery,” said Cassie. “We’ve been pre-training horses for Nathan for quite some time and he was familiar with the way we do things,” said Cassie. “Happily Gulf Of Tomini’s large group of owners heeded his recommendation and the horse arrived at our place.
“Nathan deserves much of the credit for Saturday’s win. I’ve only had the horse for a month and he was in super order. At his first run for me he found 1000m way too short in a Port Macquarie maiden but worked home nicely to finish fifth only two lengths from Golden Galaxy. I couldn’t wait to get him to the 1400m at Grafton.”
Luke Rolls is just now getting to know Gulf Of Tomini as he proved with a classy ride at Grafton. The jockey cleverly angled over from the 10 gate to be midfield on the fence at the end of 200m. He had Gulf Of Tomini travelling generously on the hometurn where the majority of the runners headed for the middle of the track in the Heavy 9 conditions. He elected to make his run about six horses off the fence on the inside of the leader Fiddler On The Roof who was still going strongly 100m out. Rolls got Gulf Of Tomini to lift in the last few strides to grab victory by a narrow margin.
Gulf Of Tomini grabs the lead in the last few strides to win at Grafton. Luke Rolls rode the winner with great skill - courtesy Trackside Photography.
People still marvel at Cassandra Schmidt’s achievement in lasting five years as a professional jockey. She towered over most of her fellow riders at 178cm (5ft 11 inches) and tortured her body to stay in the saddle. She’d make a point of having a reasonable meal on Sunday nights followed by a meagre breakfast on Monday mornings and that was it. It was common practice for Cassie to lose 4 or 5kgs over the next five days to meet riding commitments the following Saturday. She survived on one boiled egg a day from Monday to Friday and wore a wetsuit in trackwork on the hottest of mornings. It was nothing for her to work up to twenty horses in a session. Cassie knew she wouldn’t be around for long.
In just five seasons she rode 260 winners earning the respect of owners and trainers in NSW and Queensland. Her father Dwayne Schmidt rated her highly as a jockey. “She was beautifully balanced and had the uncanny ability to get pullers to settle,” said Dwayne. “She’d sometimes be back second last on horses that normally led by a big space.”
This win by Val's Boy at Ipswich was a family affair! Dwayne Schmidt trained the winner, Priscilla was the strapper and Cassie was the winning rider - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Cassie won a NSW country apprentices title, Northern Rivers jockeys and apprentices premierships, and an Ipswich premiership. In one season she actually won a Queensland provincial premiership by one win from James Orman. “You wouldn’t believe what happened,” said Cassie. “One of my winners returned a positive swab which meant James and I dead heated for the title.”
The talented horsewoman’s last win was on Lady Selkie in a Beaudesert maiden on January 26th 2018. She had only a handful of rides over the following few weeks before calling it quits. Cassandra shared the spotlight with older sister Priscilla who also enjoyed a brief but productive riding career. Priscilla won 300 races before a horror run of injuries forced her out of the saddle in 2016. She’s now a popular member of the Sky Thoroughbred Central northern presentation team.
One of Cassie's 260 winners! An easy victory on Million Reasons at Armidale 2013 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
With reluctance and great sadness Cassie announced her retirement in 2018, with no concrete plans for the future. She was surprised and puzzled when asked to attend an interview with Peter V’Landys at the headquarters of Racing NSW in Sydney. The forward thinking racing supremo had a dual proposal for the retired jockey.
She was asked to join the controlling body’s team of jockey mentors and to consider the possibility of rehoming thoroughbreds from the family property at Wauchope. Both roles had enormous appeal. Over the following four years she tutored several aspiring young riders including last season’s champion Brisbane apprentice Kyle Wilson-Taylor. Cassie estimates that more than one hundred thoroughbreds have been rehomed on the Wauchope farm. “With invaluable help from Luke Rolls, Priscilla and her husband Ben Looker and my mother Therese we were able to get the operation going smoothly.”
Cassie’s decision to become a full time trainer materialised overnight. “I can’t explain how or why it happened,” she said. “Even though I was happy working for Racing NSW I suddenly felt the need to follow my father into the training business. I was hoping Racing NSW might let me train a few horses in conjunction with the rehoming business, but for obvious reasons they denied my request. Next thing I’ve got a trainer’s licence and a whole new life began.”
Despite her battle with weight Cassie always managed a smile at the races. Here she is before a 4th placing on Brave Ali in the 2013 Armidale Cup - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
These days Cassie and Luke Rolls are inseparable partners on and off the track. NZ born Luke rode winners as an apprentice in his home country before moving to the Gold Coast where he actually left racing for a while to work in the meat industry. On regenerating his career Luke enjoyed several successful seasons in Queensland before settling on the mid north coast. He’s now very much in demand on north and north western tracks. Despite leaving the industry for a couple of years, the 38 year old has accumulated a healthy total of 650 career wins.
Cassie enjoys the luxury of being able to stable her nine racehorses at the Port Macquarie stables of her maternal grandfather 84 year old Glen Hodge. The former multiple premiership winning trainer enjoys good health, and still keeps a couple of horses in work. Cassie and Luke begin their day by jointly riding work for local trainer Marc Quinn usually accounting for an hour and a half. They then move on to the Hodge establishment where they perform the mandatory stable chores, before working their own team of horses.
If there are no hitches they’re usually back at Wauchope by 9.30 am when it’s time to work their resident team of pre-trainers. By the time all home duties are completed, it’s time to start thinking about returning to the Hodge stables for the “afternoon shift” - walking horses, rugging, feeding and attending to the inevitable cuts and scratches. Luke has to absent himself from some of the duties when he’s away riding at local meetings.
Cassie has been a devotee of the show horse for most of her life, and always finds time to indulge that passion. She’s enjoyed great success with “off the track” thoroughbreds and this year alone has seen two of her “students” qualify at national level with both horses going through to top five honours in their respective classes. She’s currently working on a retired racehorse most show ring exponents would give anything to have in their care.
The Wauchope horse lover is devoting every spare moment to the massively popular Queensland galloper The Candyman whose 34 runs resulted in 11 wins and 5 placings for $553,000. Written off by vets after sustaining horrific jaw injuries in a stable accident early in his career, the imposing grey bounced back to win multiple stakes races including a Gr 3 Premiers Cup. Cassie has high hopes for the former Brisbane crowd favourite.
Look at the stride on The Candy Man as he cruises home at Eagle Farm in December 2019 - courtesy Trackside Photography.
And so the Schmidt girl is away to a “flyer” in the tough new arena of horse training. As a jockey she saw the unmistakable look of disappointment on the faces of many trainers and knows she won’t be immune to the same feeling in the years ahead. A love of horses and wonderful family support will go a long way towards cushioning the impact of the bad days. She also has a devoted partner who’ll measure up as a top stable foreman when his riding days are over. The best way to keep Luke focused on Schmidt Racing is to marry the man, and Cassie is currently preparing to do just that on October 22nd. Congratulations to the future Mr and Mrs. Rolls.
Former champion jockey Kevin Langby was the thorn between two roses when this one was snapped at a Country Awards night in 2013. Priscilla (L) and Cassie flanked the four time Sydney Premiership winner - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
(Banner image - The clods fly on the heavy 9 track at Grafton as Gulf Of Tomini (white blaze) barges through on the inside of Fiddler OnThe Roof - courtesy Trackside Photography.)