Slipper fits for Cassidy despite busted toe
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday April 1, 2011
A BUSTED right toe isn't about to stop Jim Cassidy from repaying the faith and nailing a Golden Slipper on Elite Falls for West Australian multi-millionaire Keith Biggs.The fractured little toe is also not about to stop the grand slam-winning rider from reigniting Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday's undeniable claims in The BMW.Cassidy will front up at Rosehill on Saturday with a quality book of rides including emerging talent Triple Elegance, which rounds off Doncaster Mile preparations in a cracking George Ryder Stakes."What a race it [the George Ryder] is, nine group 1 winners in it, that tells you something," Cassidy said on Thursday. "Mine hasn't won at that level but he is a horse on the rise. There should be plenty of speed on and from the five gate we'll be able to take advantage of it."Triple Elegance, a last-start winner of the Liverpool City Cup, is one of three runners trainer Chris Waller has in the race and they include last year's winner Danleigh, which is coming off a Chipping Norton Stakes win, and the reigning Doncaster Mile victor Rangirangdoo.New Zealand's leading milers King Mufhasa and Wall Street are in town while the Grahame Begg-trained Randwick Guineas winner Ilovethiscity will once again be ridden by Brenton Avdulla."My biggest concern is a wet track, it just takes that explosive sprint off him," Avdulla said. "From the 11 alley we'll get the chance to ride him back. We've been riding him a bit closer, at his last two I've ridden him like a good thing, but this is different."We expect him to run well, it is a solid race and we're going to meet half to three-quarters of them in the Doncaster where he drops 4.5kg."The Cassidy and Biggs combination goes back a couple of decades with the duo teaming up to run third in the 1990 Golden Slipper with Perth flyer Paklani. "It would be nice to have two Golden Slippers knowing one was with Keith, Rod Russell and the team," Cassidy said.Cassidy teamed up with Biggs in 1998-99 and a horse called Dignity Dancer with the former gun three-year-old winning a Spring Champion Stakes and Australia Guineas, both at group 1 level. Those races were the start and end of a five-win streak.Elite Falls burst into Golden Slipper calculations when arriving fast to win at Rosehill a fortnight ago and not even barrier 15, with the emergency out, is a concern for Cassidy."I'll just have to do a Ha Ha," Cassidy said in reference to his 2001 Golden Slipper winner. "She sat three wide with a bit of cover and this filly can do the same. I rode her in a gallop with Foxwedge on Tuesday and she felt real good."Maluckyday returned with a closing fourth in the Chipping Norton then disappointed as favourite behind The BMW rival Zavite in the Ranvet Stakes."He did play up in the barriers prior to the start and he should be all right this time with the run under his belt," Cassidy said. "He was just a bit above himself the other day and I haven't lost any faith in the horse."
© 2011 Sydney Morning Herald
