Hall of Famer Jim Cassidy, one of the all-time great jockeys, is considering a switch to the training ranks.
Cassidy has been working at the stables of Randwick trainers Jim and Greg Lee who are keen for the riding legend to join them in a training partnership.
After retiring from riding in 2015, Cassidy has been in demand as a guest speaker at sporting and corporate functions but conceded he has missed working with thoroughbreds and the rituals of daily stable life.
“In the last few months, I’ve been getting up at 1am and working with the Lee ‘boys’ five, six days a week,’’ Cassidy revealed. “I’m really enjoying it, I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t.
“It’s great to be around the horses but I’m not sure if I want to commit myself to training full-time.
“I’ll just keep poking along for now, I’m going to wait and see what happens in the next couple of months.
“But I’m certainly learning the tricks of the trade from Jim and Greg, I have a lot of respect for them.’’
Cassidy, who rode 104 Group 1 winners, has always been regarded as a natural horseman and Greg Lee said the former champion jockey would be a great asset to any stable.
“Jimmy knows horses so well, he understands them, and he would make a great trainer,’’ Lee said.
“We want him to joins us in a training partnership. We haven’t quite convinced him yet but we are working on it.’’
SYDNEY GETS MOORE THAN IT BARGAINED FOR
Training maestro John Moore’s decision to relocate his business to Rosehill and form a partnership with his brother, Gary, is a real coup for Sydney racing.
Moore, 70, the most successful trainer in Hong Kong racing history with more than 1700 winners, has brought with him some of Hong Kong’s leading owners to invest in Sydney and Australian racing.
“I feel like a young fellow again, this is a whole new ball game,’’ Moore said.
“I’m training out of Rosehill which is probably the better of the racetrack facilities in Sydney.
“I know what we have to compete against, not only the trainers but so many well-bred horses that can go anywhere on the planet and be competitive.
“To be part of the growth of racing here in Australia at my age it is a challenge.’’
Moore said he has a burning ambition to finally win an Australian Group 1 race.
“Training a Group 1 winner in Australia has evaded me,’’ Moore said.
“It has given me the impetus to come back and do my utmost to try and win that Group 1. It’s a bucket list item.’’
PROFITEER STAYING PUT FOR THE SLIPPER
Trainer Mick Price has given the strongest indication yet that boom colt Profiteer will remain in Sydney to be set for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper next month.
Unbeaten Profiteer, who blitzed his rivals with sheer sustained speed in the Inglis Millennium at Randwick last Saturday, had been scheduled to return to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield next week.
But following Profiteer’s outstanding Randwick win Price said the aim was to have the colt at his peak for the Golden Slipper, run at Rosehill on March 20.
“There is six weeks to the Golden Slipper and I have to put our thinking cap on how to get there,’’ Price told Big Sports Breakfast Weekend on Sunday.
“But I tell you one thing, he won’t be going to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond in my opinion.
“Being a two-year-old, it would be unrealistic to expect him to go back down for the Blue Diamond in two weeks then come back for the Golden Slipper.
“I think that would leave an ‘empty tank’ by the time we go to the Slipper.’’
Price said Profiteer is likely to have a short freshen up before he determines which lead-up race is suitable for the colt’s Slipper preparation.
Profiteer firmed from $15 to $5 on TAB Fixed Odds for the Golden Slipper and is pressing Enthaar ($4.50) for favouritism. Remarque is at $11.
“I wouldn’t think they will meet until the Golden Slipper now,’’ Price said.
“Enthaar is definitely X-factor, so if she wins the Blue Diamond and finds her way into the Golden Slipper and Profiteer finds his way into the Golden Slipper, it will be a good contest.’’
HUGHIE KING OF THE KIDS AGAIN
Hugh Bowman won another juvenile feature as he let Profiteer rip around Randwick to race away with the Inglis Millennium.
The champion jockey also won a $2 million two-year-old feature last month on Shaquero in the Magic Millions.
Both Profiteer and Shaquero are being aimed at the Golden Slipper but Bowman says it is too early to choose between the two classy youngsters.
Bowman has dominated feature two-year-olds in the last 12 months and including snaring the coveted Sydney juvenile triple crown last year on Farnan (Golden Slipper), and King’s Legacy (ATC Sires Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes).
PELTZER REMAINS UNBEATEN AT HEADQUARTERS
Peltzer should finally starting getting the recognition he thoroughly deserves after his impressive return to racing in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes.
Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Peltzer scored his sixth win from nine starts and remains unbeaten in five races at Randwick when he ran down stablemate The Face.
Ryan indicated Peltzer will be aimed at the Hobartville Stakes and Randwick Guineas.
David Pfieffer, trainer of Inglis Sprint winner Rocketing By, said his emerging three-year-old is likely to go to Flemington next the for Inglis Dash and then be aimed at the Arrowfield Stud Stakes at Randwick during The Championships.
Another promising three-year-old, Sky Lab, showed stamina potential to beat the older horses and trainer Paul Perry believes the gelding could develop into an ATC Australian Derby contender this autumn.
Jockey Robbie Dolan described Sky Lab as a “machine” after the race.
HAWKES WILL GET THEIR MOMENT
Team Hawkes only had the one winner at Randwick — promising filly Written Beauty — but they would have been satisfied with the comeback runs of talented trio Ole Kirk, North Pacific and Mount Popa.
Ole Kirk (third in the Inglis Sprint) and Mount Popa (second, Davali Thoroughbreds Cup) ran up to win but perhaps their condition gave out while North Pacific (fourth, Eskimo Prince) was doing his best work on the line and is looking for further.
RANDWICK SNAPSHOT
With Ron Dufficy
RUN OF THE DAY
Profiteer captured everyone’s imagination beating up on his opposition with sheer speed in the Inglis Millennium. Connections are giving themselves every opportunity not rolling the dice trying to win everything along the way with their eye on the big prize of the Golden Slipper and could well get a big dividend.
FORGET THEY RAN
I’ve been a cheerleader for Blaze A Trail in his two runs back from a spell without collecting but stay patient. He never got his chance to let down on Saturday and he still has more to offer.
THE BLACK BOOK
The late market said the French Import Mount Popa would improve with a run under his belt and that’s exactly what will happen. He travelled too well in the run and after cruising up just lacked match practice 1st up after only one soft trial.
Stick with him I think he is pretty smart.
RIDE OF THE DAY
Tim Clark made all the right moves with his winning double. He put Tilianam in the box seat getting the job done and then showed aggression to go fast enough out of the barriers to leave a spot to slot in on the likeable Peltzer. It was superb tactics.
NSW RACING – THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday: Bathurst, Muswellbrook
Tuesday: Hawkesbury, Lismore
Wednesday: Warwick Farm
Thursday: Wagga Wagga
Friday: Canterbury, Tamworth, Taree
Saturday: Royal Randwick, Gosford, Balranald, Coffs Harbour, Sapphire Coast, Tumut
Sunday: Dubbo, Nowra