Evergreen jockey Jim Cassidy is confident he will be fit ride to at Super Saturday’s Epsom Handicap meeting at Randwick after sustaining an ankle injury at Canterbury yesterday.
Cassidy injured his ankle when his mount Nissile jammed his leg up against the side of the barriers at the start of race 5 and after being treated on course was able to leave Canterbury.
The Melbourne Cup winning jockey has only recently returned to riding after a winter break and has continued to show all his skill with several Group wins over the Sydney Spring Carnival.
“I’ll be right for Saturday, I’ve got to be,” Cassidy said as he limped off the course.
“My whole foot got twisted as I was coming out of the barriers. But I’ll be right.”
The top jockey is down to ride Lightinthenite in the Group 1 $500,000 The Star Epsom Handicap (1600m) for John O’Shea and has picked up the ride on Kelinni for Chris Waller in the Group 1 $400,000 McGrath Estate Agents Metropolitan (2400m).
Lightinthenite is a$14 lightweight chance in the Epsom coming off a first-up second to Rolling Pin in the Group 3 $150,000 Patinack Farm Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle on September 19.
While Kelinni is getting closer to a start in the Metropolitan after Waller engaged Cassidy for the ride after the leading trainer was not certain of backing up the five year old following a hard run last week at Rosehill in taking out the Group 3 $125,000 Alea Actuarial Consulting Colin Stephen Quality (2400m).
Waller is looking very likely to have three runners in the Epsom Handicap after scratching dual acceptor Rangirangdoo from the Group 3 $125,000 APN Outdoor Craven Plate (2000m).
“I put him in the Craven Plate in case he drew bad in the Epsom, he drew bad in the Epsom and he is still running,” Waller said.
“I think I was just over-analysing the race. He is a Group 1 horse that deserves to be in Group 1 races and given the way Randwick played a fortnight ago, it wasn’t a disadvantage to be away from the rail.”
Nash Rawiller will be aboard Rangirangdoo again after the pair finished second to stablemate Shoot Out in the Group 1 $350,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 22 and is of the same opinion as Waller and is not worried about the wide barrier draw for tough Group 1 performer.
“It might be a perfect barrier the way Randwick has been racing,” Rawiller said.
“I’m not too concerned, my horse is a good beginner and there is a long run down the back, Wild And Proud will probably go forward and give him cover.”
Waller will saddle up $5.50 second favourite Shoot Out in the Epsom as well as Rangirangdoo ($7.50) and the outsider of his trio Said Com ($16).
Gai Waterhouse will provide the $4.80 favourite Fat Al who will have to return to his best after finishing third to Rolling Pin in the Group 2 $175,000 Ascend Sales Trophies Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill last week.
