An injured Jim Cassidy has been forced to give up the ride on Quick Strike in the Group 1 $600,000 Channel 7 Queensland Derby (2200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Jim Cassidy has been forced to miss riding on Queensland Derby Day at Doomben because of a hamstring injury. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Cassidy strained his hamstring on Saturday at Rosehill when one of his mounts knuckled over on the way to the barriers causing his injury and the veteran jockey says he will need at least three weeks to recover and will make sure he is fit to resuming riding when the new season begins in August.
“One (horse) just knuckled on me going to the barriers and I only stayed on by holding the breast plate,” Cassidy told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I wasn’t showing it enough respect and that’s when I did it.
“I kept riding but I was in a deal of pain going home and when I cooled down it was real bad. I have had my man Longy (Nguyen) working on it for the past couple of days but it is no good, so I just need to give it the rest it needs.”
As well as riding the Chris Waller trained Quick Strike, Cassidy was also booked to keep his association with his stablemate, last start Canterbury winner Feast Of Eyes, in the Group 1 $600,000 BMW Australia J.J. Atkins (1600m).
Cassidy was also looking forward to taking over from Zac Purton on Strawberry Boy in the Listed Ambassador Travel The Wayne Wilson Plate (1600m) after the John Singleton owned six year old led all of the way to win the Group 3 $125,000 Programmed Property Services Lord Mayor’s Cup (1600m) at Doomben on May 23.
“You never want to miss any meetings, but one with a good chance for ‘Singo’ is particularly disappointing,” Cassidy said.
“You don’t make any money sitting on the lounge, so it is frustrating.
“I had a couple of real good chances for Chris Waller in the Atkins and the Derby as well and we have been going well together lately.”
The two time Melbourne Cup winning jockey said that he will be working hard to be fit for the start of the new season and is already looking towards the rich Spring Carnival.
“I’m just going to work hard and I want to be back on August 1 ready to go for the new season,” Cassidy said.
“There is another Melbourne Cup just around the corner and ‘Singo’ has a couple of real nice horses coming through at the moment, which could shape up well for the spring.”
Tommy Berry has picked up the ride on Quick Strike, a $17 chance at Ladbrokes.com.au in the Queensland Derby, and Zac Purton will take over on Feast For Eyes marked at $13 in the J.J. Atkins.
