Jim Cassidy (jockey)

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Jim Cassidy
OccupationJockey
Born (1963-01-21) 21 January 1963 (age 58)
Wellington, New Zealand
Major racing wins
Melbourne Cup (1983, 1997)
WS Cox Plate (1998)
Caulfield Cup (1997, 2000)
Golden Slipper Stakes (2001)
Honours
Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2012)
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame (2014)
Significant horses
Might and Power, Kiwi, Rough Habit,

Jim Cassidy (born 21 January 1963), often referred to as "Jimmy" is a retired New Zealand jockey who has been inducted in both the Australian Racing Hall of Fame and the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.

Jimmy's career and life[]

Jim Cassidy was one of seven children of Arthur "Blue" and Francie Cassidy of Wellington, New Zealand. His older brother Ricki was an apprentice jockey to Trevor McKee and his younger brother, Larry, went on to be a Sydney Premiership winning jockey.[1]

Cassidy initially rode in New Zealand with Pat Campbell in the Hawkes Bay,[2] having over 500 winners in his country of birth. He achieved even greater success in Australia.

Cassidy rode Kiwi from last into the straight to win the 1983 Melbourne Cup.[3] He won his second Melbourne Cup in 1997 aboard Might and Power and they also won the following year's Cox Plate.

Cassidy has won the Australian Derby three times; in 1990, 1993 and in 2009.

Cassidy is the third jockey to win 100 group one races, winning his 100th race aboard Zoustar in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday 2 November 2013.[4]

Cassidy's daughter, Nicole, married Brisbane and Hong Kong champion jockey, Zac Purton.[5]

Cassidy released his autobiography titled "Pumper" through Macmillan Books in October 2016.[6]

Notable wins[]

The following are some of the races Jimmy won in New Zealand and Australia.

Year
 Race
 Horse
 Trainer(s)
1980[7] Stewards Handicap, Riccarton Killjoy J.N.J Healey, Richmond
1981 Brisbane Cup Four Crowns
1981[8] Wellesley Stakes, Trentham Bisette Trevor McKee
1981 Avondale Cup Alice Mrs J Hercock, Hastings
1983[9] Wellington Cup Kiwi Snow Lupton, Waverley
1983 Melbourne Cup Kiwi Snow Lupton, Waverley
1983 New Zealand 1000 Guineas Burletta F P Campbell, Hastings
1983 Levin Classic Burletta F P Campbell, Hastings
1984 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes Vin D'Armour J R Lynds, Woodville
1983/84 Canterbury Gold Cup Commissionaire Noel D Eales, Awapuni
1983/84 Great Northern Breeders Oaks Silver Elm Noel D Eales, Awapuni
1983/84 Matamata Breeders Stakes Vin D'Armour J R Lynds, Woodville
1983/84 Eulogy Stakes Burletta F P Campbell, Hastings
1983/84 Gold Trail Stakes Burletta F P Campbell, Hastings
1984 Cambridge Stud International Stakes Commissionaire Noel D Eales, Awapuni
1990 Australian Derby Dr Grace Dr G Chapman
1991 Doomben Cup Rough Habit John Wheeler
1992 Doomben Cup Rough Habit John Wheeler
1992 All Aged Stakes Rough Habit John Wheeler
1992 AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Rough Habit John Wheeler
1993 All Aged Stakes Rough Habit John Wheeler
1993 Australian Derby Innocent King K A Jordan
1993 Doomben Cup Rough Habit John Wheeler
1994 Caulfield Stakes Rough Habit John Wheeler
1997 Caulfield Cup Might and Power Jack Denham
1997 Melbourne Cup Might and Power Jack Denham
1998 W.S. Cox Plate Might and Power Jack Denham
1998 Caulfield Stakes Might and Power Jack Denham
2000 Caulfield Cup Diatribe G M Hanlon
2001 Golden Slipper Stakes Ha Ha Gai Waterhouse
2009 George Ryder Stakes Vision and Power Joseph Pride
2009 Australian Derby Roman Emperor Bart Cummings
2013 Coolmore Stud Stakes Zoustar Chris Waller
2013 Golden Rose Stakes Zoustar Chris Waller
2015 All Aged Stakes Dissident [10] Peter Moody

Larry Cassidy[]

Larry V Cassidy, who is seven years younger than Jim, is also an accomplished jockey.

He also started his career in New Zealand. Larry rode Festal to a dead-heat win with Mr Tiz and Lance O’Sullivan in the 1989 Telegraph Handicap at Trentham Racecourse. He went on to ride Morar to victory in the same race in 1992. He also won the 1989 New Zealand 2000 Guineas on Finnegan Fox and 1999 New Zealand Oaks on Let's Sgor.

Larry moved to Australia to ride and won three Sydney premierships but now predominantly rides at the Queensland Racecourses such as Doomben, Eagle Farm and the Sunshine Coast. Larry rated his best wins as:

Larry's resume also includes a win on the champion, Winx, in the Sunshine Coast Guineas on 16 May 2015. This was to be the first win of a 33 race unbeaten sequence for Winx, although the horse was ridden by Hugh Bowman and James McDonald (once) from then on.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Cassidy happy as Larry to saddle up again". www.couriermail.com.au. 26 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Cassidy's career highlights and lowlights". Bloodstock.com.au.
  3. ^ "Kiwi wins the 1983 Melbourne Cup". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 2 November 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  4. ^ "Cassidy takes out 100th Group One on Zoustar". www.abc.net.au. 2 November 2013.
  5. ^ "zac purtons wife nicole - Bing". www.bing.com.
  6. ^ "PUMPER Jim Cassidy | Jim Cassidy's Biography | Book Sales".
  7. ^ New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1981 (Tenth edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
  8. ^ New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1982 (Eleventh edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
  9. ^ New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1984 (Thirteenth edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
  10. ^ Roots, Chris (18 April 2015). "Dissident goes out on top in the All Aged Stakes". The Sydney Morning Herald.

Further reading[]

  • Cassidy, Jim (with Webster, Andrew) (2016). The Pumper. Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia. ISBN 9781743540114.
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