Larry Cassidy combines with one of Queensland’s most exciting horses at Doomben Saturday

Larry Cassidy has turned to a CSIRO diet book to continue his association with Queensland winning machine Go Wandji.

Go Wandji winning for jockey Larry Cassidy at Eagle Farm. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography

Multiple Group 1-winning jockey Larry Cassidy has turned to a CSIRO diet so he can continue his fruitful association with one of Queensland’s most exciting horses.

Cassidy has had a grand time on Toowoomba winning machine Go Wandji which he has ridden six times for five wins – and it should have been six from six with a touch of luck.

Go Wandji carried 60kg when trouncing his rivals at Eagle Farm last start but Cassidy was always aware the exciting galloper would plunge in weight when stepping up to Open company for the first time.

That happens on Saturday with the Tom Dougall-trained galloper allotted the minimum weight of 54kg for the $75,000 Open Handicap (1350m) at Doomben.

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“I’ve been on a diet, this will be my fourth week of it, because I was getting to Saturday and finding it really difficult to try to ride at 54kg,” Cassidy said.

“It’s a CSIRO diet, they have got many diets for all different things, and I went and bought one of their books and had a look through it.

“I thought this particular diet looked the best for me as I could chop and change things around to suit days I was riding on.

“Since the diet has kicked in, it’s been easier for me.

“The diet is making me eat regularly and for some jockeys that’s a problem because they start skipping meals and then it makes it harder to lose weight.

“It’s salads and chicken and fish and salads and vegetables.

“I’m doing the diet on a general basis so I can ride at 54kg, and with Go Wandji in mind too.”

Larry Cassidy. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography

Dougall has taken the softly-softly approach with Go Wandji, placing him conservatively as the sprinter has built up his confidence and his winning record.

Cassidy believes he could potentially be a Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap contender during next year’s Queensland winter carnival.

Such is Cassidy’s lofty opinion of Go Wandji, after his barnstorming win from the back of the field last time, the jockey declared he had only ever ridden two horses with similar acceleration and one of them was Winx.

“He just floats in the run,” Cassidy said of Go Wandji.

“He is quite unassuming in the way he goes from floating, to on the bridle, to all of the sudden blinding acceleration.

“He could be a Stradbroke horse next year.”

Go Wandji and Larry Cassidy with owner John Dougall (far right) and trainer Tom Dougall (second from right). Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography

Thankfully, Go Wandji has stopped his silly tricks in the barriers which had given his trainer and jockey plenty of sleepless nights.

“I’ve never had a horse in all my years of riding kick up like how he used to in the barriers,” Cassidy said.

“He sort of pigrooted in the gates.

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“The day I got beaten on him he nearly threw me over his head.

“That was the day where I went back in the field and I got held up coming to the turn and he should have won, even after playing up in the gates.”

Originally published as Larry Cassidy combines with one of Queensland’s most exciting horses at Doomben Saturday