Jimmy Cassidy still ducking and weaving life’s nasty blows as champion jockey goes another round

THERE have been occasions in the last year or so when Jim Cassidy thought retirement was his only option. Life’s pressures were mounting.

THERE have been occasions in the last year or so when Jim Cassidy thought retirement was his only option.

Life’s pressures were mounting. Cassidy’s father Arthur is battling illness, his brother Colin nearly died in a truck accident, and age was catching up with the champion jockey.

While dealing with these issues, Cassidy set himself a personal goal to ride his 100th Group 1 winner, which he felt would cap his remarkable riding career. Cassidy duly achieved that feat with his win on Zoustar in the Coolmore Stud Stakes last spring, then he rode another two major races winners in Sydney during the autumn on Dissident (Randwick Guineas) and Steps In Time (Coolmore Classic).

The irrepressible rider’s form was as good as ever, age was certainly no barrier, and he began to question those retirement plans.

“My Dad is 77 and has cancer and I want to spend more time with him but he is fighting hard and that is giving me a lift,” Cassidy said.

“He wants me to keep going, he gets a kick out of watching me ride. My brother is doing OK now and he also wants me out there.

“When these things happen, it does gives you a different perspective — life is a good leveller. This year, racing has lost Nathan Berry and Guy Walter, there have been so many sad times.

“But I’m so lucky to have the support of family and friends. My wife Vicki is my ‘backbone’, there’s my three girls and, as the season went on, I started to weigh it all up and I thought why do I want to retire? I still have the hunger, I’m fit and healthy and I love riding, so as long as I feel like this, I’ll keep going. Why give up when I feel I’m riding as well as ever?”

Then a couple of months ago, influential owner-breeder John Singleton also heard of the retirement rumours and got on the phone to Cassidy. In his own indomitable way, Singleton helped convince Cassidy he still has plenty to offer as a jockey.

“I had a good chat with Singo and he said you are not retiring, I want you to ride more for me,’’ Cassidy said.

“Singo’s a champion in his own field and we have had a lot of luck over the years. I’m looking forward to having a big spring with him.”

It was fitting that Cassidy’s first ride after more than two months out of the saddle was for Singleton on the superbly bred This Is Australia at Canterbury during the week.

As he so often does, Cassidy returned from an extended break like he had never been away, guiding the Clarry Conners-trained This Is Australia to a good debut win.

At 51, Cassidy is at an age when the body and mind starts to give up on most jockeys — but not him.

He is fitter than most men half his age, he retains a fierce competitive streak, is riding as well as ever, has the support of owners like Singleton and leading trainers including Chris Waller — and most importantly, he still enjoys his job. During his winter break, Cassidy worked harder than ever on his fitness.

He pounded the pads with one of his best mates and training partner Matt Mezgec, a NSW police sergeant, and with the help of his enduring friends Malcolm Ayoub (fitness guru) and Longy Nguyen (masseuse/motivator), he has returned to race riding in peak physical condition.

Cassidy’s has four rides in his comeback to big-time racing at Royal Randwick tomorrow and is bidding for a fifth win in the Group 2 $175,000 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) on the Chris Waller-trained Hawkspur.

The horse and jockey combined to win the Chelmsford last year, complementing Cassidy’s earlier successes on High Regard (1989), Soho Square (1993) and March Hare (1994).

Hawkspur has had two runs back from a spell including his last start fifth to Tiger Tees in the Warwick Stakes and Cassidy believes the five-year-old can join the likes of Kingston Town (1980-81) and Lonhro (2002-03) as dual Chelmsford winners.

“I’ve watched both of Hawkspur’s runs this time and they have been very good efforts,” Cassidy said.

“He’s getting up to the mile after two nice hit-outs so he is going to be around the mark. I think he will be very competitive.”

Cassidy’s Chelmsford winners are a reflection of his longevity and the changing nature of the sport.

He first came to Sydney in 1984 when Tommy Smith was the dominant training force. Cassidy teamed up with Brian Mayfield-Smith to end Smith’s world record 33-year reign as Sydney’s premier trainer in 1986.

“There’s been a lot of changes in racing over the years and I feel very lucky to still be a part of it,” he said.

“I was there when T.J. was No.1, then Nebo Lodge (Mayfield-Smith) changed that.

“I’ve seen (John) Hawkes dominate then Gai (Waterhouse) and now it is Chris Waller.”

Cassidy is always forthright with his opinions and he was straight on to the front foot when asked if Waller’s domination is a good or bad thing for Sydney racing.

“Chris Waller is an enormous force right now and I see that as good for Sydney racing,” he continued.

“He’s raised the bar and brought a lot of new owners into the sport, which is great for the game. But I reckon the (trainers) premiership might tighten up a bit in the next few years because the Snowdens are going to get quite big, (John) O’Shea’s got Darley’s backing, there’s the Hawkes stable and Joe Pride, so competition’s there.”

Cassidy also scoffed at the suggestion Waller’s stable is too big. “That’s ridiculous,” he said. “It’s not Chris’s fault he works hard and gets the results. It’s like saying the All Blacks can’t play in the Tri-Nations any more because we keep winning every year.

“When people are putting in the money and working to stay at the top, good luck to them. Chris has made a lot of sacrifices to be number one and he deserves his success. I know what it is like to make sacrifices because I’ve been doing that for a long time now.”

Cassidy’s celebrated career includes 102 Group 1 wins, third behind George Moore (119) and Roy Higgins (108). He is a member of the elite Grand Slam club, having ridden the winners of two Melbourne Cups, two Caulfield Cups, a Cox Plate and Golden Slipper, and is destined to be remembered as one of the great jockeys.

But Cassidy maintains there is more for him to achieve. “You can be on top one day and at the bottom the next and I’ve seen that many times. It’s happened to me but I always bounce back.”

Jim Cassidy working out at his Arcadia home. Picture: Adam Ward

Originally published as Jimmy Cassidy still ducking and weaving life’s nasty blows as champion jockey goes another round