CASSIDY CRACKS PREMIERSHIP CHASE WIDE OPEN

By Graham Potter | Sunday, July 25, 2010

It was all about Larry at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Top hoop Larry Cassidy rattled home four winners on the day to handsomely reduce the margin by which he trails the Brisbane Jockeys Premiership leader Stathi Katsidis to a mere, single victory.

There are two metropolitan meetings left before the championship is decided, but even there Cassidy’s claims have been strengthened by the fact that Katsidis will miss the July 31 meeting at Doomben as he is committed to riding the Group 1 winner Shoot Out in Sydney on that day for trainer John Wallace.

Significantly, Katsidis was also missing from Eagle Farm yesterday. The flu bug with sidelined him could not have struck at a worse time in terms of the championship duel and Cassidy was the first to admit that his four winner tally would in all probability not have been achieved if Katsidis was well enough to participate at the meeting.

In fact, one of Cassidy’s winners, Lochiel, was a pick-up ride on which Cassidy actually replaced the indisposed Katsidis. In golfing terms that result represented a two shot turnaround.

Another one of Katsidis’ scheduled rides, Fifteen Carat, also won the day, so if the day’s result had stood with the original riders, Katsidis would have won two, Cassidy would have won three and the championship would be all but over.

Having said that, every sportsman operating at the top level of his profession has a steeliness about them which allows them capitalise on an opportunity when it is presented.

It is their dedication and determination as much as any natural talent that takes them to the top and, in this case, it has taken Cassidy to the brink of achieving the goal he set for himself at the start of the season. He made so much of the opportunity presented by Katsidis’ absence that is now that close to landing his first Brisbane Jockeys Premiership.

Yet, strangely enough, for a man who usually portrays super-confidence, Cassidy was quite restrained when commenting about his chances of completing a late charge to clinch the title when speaking to HRO at the track yesterday.

Cassidy: “Well, I started pushing the Premiership challenge out of my mind, I suppose, in the last week, because I got close and then it sort of drifted away. I thought, ok, how about I’ll just concede it. I’ll still try, but then at least it’s off my mind and whatever will be, will be.

“I did that two months ago as well. I said to my wife, I can’t win this thing you know and I stopped thinking about it. I was ten behind and then all of a sudden I rode four and then three. It’s not like I gave up. I just got it out of my mind. I said I’m going to train harder and, you know, something might happen. It did then … and it happened again today.

“Yeah, if I can stay close enough I will have an advantage with Stathi (Katsidis) not riding at the last meeting.

“But it could all come undone again on Wednesday. I haven’t got a good book of rides and I’d hate to see Stathi ride five winners on Wednesday and see it slip right away again.

“If that happens though, well good on him. Stathi is a good jockey and he is riding well.

“Like I said, I put myself in contention three weeks ago with those four wins and then three wins. After that it sort of slipped out of my grasp again. Today, with Stathi not riding and with me getting these wins, it’s given me hope … but it is still a tough task.

“I did get a winner on one of the mounts Stathi was supposed to ride. It’s very hard to get on those (pick-up) rides when you’re fighting against a manager that’s running you down … and I don’t mean my manager. All I can say is what goes around comes around.

“I set myself a goal every season I ride and it’s nice to meet a goal you set yourself. But at the end of the day … and this is what I tell my kids … you go out to win it, but providing you give it your best shot, that’s all that matters.

“As long as you know you’ve given it your best shot. I know I’m giving this Premiership my best shot. I won three Premierships in Sydney. I’d love to add this one, but if I don’t win it … I’m healthy, I’ve got a family that loves me. That’s it, mate. That is what is important.”

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