Cassidy Giving Adams A Big Hand
- Thursday, 03 November 2011 06:00
Jim Cassidy is one of racing's personalities.
Ever ready with a quip or a quote, he has ridden a roller-coaster of controversy and injury and bounced back from it all.
But over the past five months, Cassidy has been something altogether different.
He has been the man behind troubled apprentice Josh Adams' long and bumpy road to redemption.
Adams was riding the crest of a wave, a runaway leader of the Sydney apprentices' premiership and the most promising junior rider in the ranks.
But it all unravelled in April when he tested positive to a banned substance in a random drug test at Gosford races, a day after the Golden Slipper.
Adams was suspended for seven months but successfully had that reduced to five.
Not long after stewards handed down his penalty, Adams was in the headlines again for his behaviour at a compulsory drug and alcohol awareness seminar organised by Racing NSW, which asked him to repeat the program.
But his reputation had been tarnished, again.
It was during this turbulent period that Adams phoned Cassidy seeking an experienced head.
"He's been up and down his whole career so I rang him to see if he could give me a bit of advice," Adams said.
So Adams went to Cassidy's property on the outskirts of Sydney and his lessons in life began.
"He (Cassidy) said `I want you to come and live with me, no car, no phone'," Adams said.
"He said 'I'll organise everything for you, I don't want you to talk to anyone, go anywhere, do anything you're not doing with me, for as long as it takes.
"I did everything. I worked on his property, went training with him every day.
"He was a great help mentally and physically and got me in a great place."
Adams lived with Cassidy and his young family for close to three months.
It gave him space away from racing, time to think and soul-search.
Time to miss riding, to grow hungry for the next winner. Time to grow up.
"I matured a lot in every aspect," Adams said.
"I see things from a different angle now.
"Jim and his family have been great, I owe them so much.
"I went to Jim's a 19-year-old boy frustrated with life and with letting myself down.
"But I left a young man who could hold their head high with what they'd achieved in those few months."
Adams has been back riding trackwork since early September and will have his first race ride back at Randwick on Saturday when he has four mounts.
Three of those are for master Gerald Ryan - Emperor, Jester's Girl and Rosie's Reward.
Ryan, along with Adams' parents, has been the other major crutch for him during his suspension.
Adams says Ryan's support "never wavered" and the trainer sees a changed kid.
"He realises it was a big mistake and a lot of his friends weren't his friends," Ryan said.
"His attitude is heaps better.
"He believes in himself. He always has believed in himself but he believes in himself all the more now."
Despite missing the final two months of last season, such was Adams' lead in the Sydney apprentices' title race he won it anyway.
He wants to win it again this term, even though he has given away a head start.
And such has been his commitment to his comeback he will ride three of his mounts on Saturday at 51.5kg.
He can't wait.
"I'm very excited, it's been a long time and I've got a couple of nice rides," Adams said.
"Hopefully I can get a winner."
Queensland Mare After Third Sydney Win
- Thursday, 03 November 2011 04:31
Queensland-based mare Nuptse will aim to continue her strong Sydney form at Randwick on Saturday.
The lightly-raced Brian Wakefield-trained Nuptse has faced the starter just five times for three wins, with two of those victories coming on Sydney tracks.
Wakefield considered the possibility of venturing further south for a Listed race on Oaks day at Flemington but opted to keep the four-year-old in Sydney to run in the Fitzpatrick & Partners Handicap (1200m).
Wakefield originally sent Nuptse to Sydney in January to escape the big wet in Queensland.
The then filly finished fourth on debut at Canterbury before winning at her second start at Warwick Farm.
After resuming with a Class 4 win at Doomben in late September, Wakefield again decided on an interstate trip with Nuptse and it reaped its reward with a fast-finishing win over 1100m at Rosehill on October 22.
She steps up to 1200m for the first time on Saturday and will be ridden by Nathan Berry who is unbeaten on her from two rides.
"She's still lightly raced and still has a bit to learn race-wise, but she seems to be heading in the right direction," Wakefield said.
"We're basically just looking to put her through her classes, although we were toying with the idea of going to Melbourne for a Listed race for fillies and mares on Oaks day.
"But time-wise it was a bit tight and she's settled in well in Sydney so she'll race there on Saturday and we'll look at a plan from there."
Wakefield said the mare could return home to Brisbane for a race next month.
"There is a Listed fillies and mares race in Brisbane on the third of December," he said.
Wakefield said the 1200m was an unknown, but both he and Berry believe she will handle it.
"Judging by the way she finished off her race the other day and what I think of her, I think she can handle it," he said.
"Nathan agreed when he got off her last start that going that bit further was not going to be a problem for her. It's a good test for her but keeping her against her own age and sex is a plus.
"Nathan has been coming out to work her and is of the opinion she has done well since her last run which she has. He gets on well with her and she certainly goes well for him."
Nuptse was installed the $2.10 favourite with TAB Sportsbet in the field of seven.
Cup Draws Big Crowd To Randwick
- Tuesday, 01 November 2011 07:46
Sydney's biggest race crowd of the year rolled up at Randwick to be a part of Melbourne Cup day under clear skies on Tuesday.
A crowd of 25,590 had their eyes fixed on the numerous screens around the racecourse as French-trained Dunaden got home by the barest of margins over Red Cadeaux in the $6 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
The bumper crowd enjoying the day at Sydney's racing headquarters just surpassed the 25,368 of Derby Day in April when Black Caviar came to town.
Among the thousands on hand for the nine-race meeting were stars of Sydney FC, including marquee man Brett Emerton.
The A-League side's captain Terry McFlynn said the team took the opportunity to be trackside for the Cup day action.
"I think it was just a bit of fun for the boys," McFlynn said.
"We've had 12 weeks of hard pre-season and the season started nice so it was a little get-together today. With the Melbourne Cup being such a special day the boys decided to come down to Randwick and have a good day out, enjoy the horseracing and each other's company."
McFlynn didn't have any luck in the Cup itself with his selection Jukebox Jury finishing 20th.
"It was a good race and a very exciting end to the Cup," he said.
Dunaden was well supported on track at Randwick, and one of the lucky people celebrating in the public area was 19-year-old Aimee-Lili Peters from Mossman who placed some money on the French horse on a rare day out at the races.
"I've only been to the races once before and I won that day too," Peters said.
"My Dad told me to (put money on Dunaden). I never listen to him but I did today and it paid off."
Peters' friend Emily Barton didn't back the winner but loved the day out.
"It's my first day at the races today," she said.
Racegoers were estimated to consume one tonne of beef, 300kg of prawns, 600 dozen oysters, 100kg of smoked salmon and 10,000 pies.
An estimated 50,000 bottles of beer and 25,000 glasses of champagne were also consumed.
Australian Turf Club chief executive Darren Pearce said the 25,000-plus crowd was a "great result".
"It's traditionally one of our top three days," Pearce said.
"We've got good weather, good pricing, strong membership and it's resulted in a peak crowd for the year."
Randwick is about to undergo a $150 million redevelopment with work to start after Saturday's meeting.
Change Of Pace For Bennett
- Thursday, 03 November 2011 03:00
Renowned for breaking in three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, Greg Bennett is hoping to make his name as a trainer.
Breaking-in horses has been Bennett's core business for 30-odd years and Makybe Diva his most famous student.
He has also educated the likes of Group One winners Typhoon Tracy and All Silent.
"I'd love to lay claim to breaking in Black Caviar as well but I didn't do her," Bennett said.
Bennett has long prepared a small team on the side but a couple of months ago he decided to hand over the bulk of his breaking business to concentrate on training.
"At the age I am now, I'm more attuned to training than riding breakers," he said.
"We had a good year last year as far as the racehorses were concerned, we had more winners than ever before.
"Hopefully I can get a kick out of training a Group One winner now, rather than breaking one in."
Bennett has 35 horses in work and two of them will run at Randwick on Saturday.
Kaypers will tackle the Sharp Handicap (1600m) while Charm's Honour will line up in the Sky Sports Radio Farewells Royal Randwick Handicap (1200m).
Charm's Honour won her first three starts in the country then stepped straight up to stakes company and was an excellent second to Streama in the Listed Keith Mackay Quality in April.
"We nearly knocked it off too, it took a good one to beat us," Bennett said.
Streama's feats in the spring, including her devastating Group One Flight Stakes victory, were watched with keen interest by the connections of Charm's Honour.
But Bennett is comfortable with their decision to bypass the carnival.
"We chose not to go into the spring. She's a big filly and she needed time," Bennett said.
"Anything we got out of her early was a bonus.
"She's furnished into a lovely three-year-old so we're hoping to pick up a few of the crumbs now."
Charm's Honour is resuming on Saturday and has been tuned-up with a barrier trial.
While she is open to improvement, Bennett anticipates a forward showing from barrier one and with Christian Reith aboard.
"Her last couple of gallops since the trial have been really good," he said.
"Christian Reith is in great form, we've got a nice gate so I'm hoping he can get us home."
Bennett is also upbeat about the chances of Kaypers, who hasn't been far away in two runs back over shorter trips.
"Both runs have been very pleasing in unsuitable races as far as distance is concerned," Bennett said.
"He wants a mile (1600m) and beyond.
"He was favourite for the Muswellbrook Cup (on Tuesday) but I scratched him to run Saturday so hopefully I've pulled the right rein."
Schofield Gets Cup Day Randwick Treble
- Tuesday, 01 November 2011 07:16
There wasn't a Melbourne Cup fairytale for the Schofield family on Tuesday but no-one was smiling more at Randwick than young apprentice Chad Schofield who rode a winning treble.
Schofield's father Glyn notched a Group Three winner at Flemington but his Melbourne Cup mount Hawk Island could only manage 18th.
By the time the race that stops the nation came around, 17-year-old Chad Schofield had already brought up his first city treble in front of the 25,590-strong crowd at Sydney racing's headquarters.
"It's terrific to get a treble on Melbourne Cup day," Schofield said.
"I'm only in my second year of riding and I missed Melbourne Cup day last year through injury. It's my first Cup day riding and it's great to get the three winners."
Schofield moved to Sydney with his family four years ago from South Africa and is well aware of the Melbourne Cup's standing in Australian sport.
"I watched it growing up in South Africa and it's a great race," he said.
"For sure I'd love to win it one day. It's every jockey's dream in Australia and definitely one of mine."
Somepin Anypin Faces Biggest Test
- Wednesday, 02 November 2011 05:16
Gary Portelli wants to see Somepin Anypin pass his biggest test in Thursday's Hawkesbury Gold Cup before he decides on any future targets for the promising gelding.
Somepin Anypin is the $1.65 favourite to notch his first stakes victory in the provincial feature, and Portelli is eager to see how the four-year-old handles Group Three company and his first test at 1600m.
Somepin Anypin has showcased his talent with back-to-back wins at Rosehill, including a course-record breaking all-the-way win over 1400m on October 22.
"You would think just by watching the way he has raced and finishes his races off that he should run the mile, but until you have a go you never really know," Portelli said.
"Everything we've done with him has been with the view to him running a mile."
The winner of five of his 11 starts and more than $200,000 in prize money, Somepin Anypin's only run in stakes company was a ninth in the Group Two Hobartville Stakes (1400m) earlier this year.
Portelli said he hadn't mapped out anything past Thursday's race.
"We'll know a lot more after tomorrow," the trainer said.
"This is probably the hardest race he's been in. We've got to make sure he gets through this and then, if he was to win again, we can sit down with the owners and have a chat."
The options would be to progress to the Group Two Villiers (1600m) next month or save him for a real crack at next year's autumn carnival with the Doncaster the logical aim.
"My preference would be to head towards the autumn but at this stage we'll see what happens," Portelli said.
"The Villiers is there (as an option). We won the Villiers a few years back with the same syndicate with Something Anything and I'm sure they'd love to win it again.
"If he was to get the job done again and just win nicely then we'd probably be looking at the Villiers.
"But if he runs a really big race and does something like last start again then we might have to be more adventurous and maybe pull the pin and really look to the autumn."
Epsom Handicap fourth placegetter Willy Jimmy is second favourite in the TAB Sportsbet market at $7.50 with Renewed Vitality, who was almost five lengths behind Somepin Anypin when second last start, at $10.
The Hawkesbury meeting also features the running of the Listed Ladies Day Cup (1300m) with the Joe Pride-trained Takeover Target Stakes winner Title the $1.90 favourite.
Sydney Powers Down For Melbourne Cup
- Tuesday, 01 November 2011 07:16
Electricity use across Sydney dropped dramatically as the city powered down to watch the Melbourne Cup.
Ausgrid said electricity use across its Sydney network dropped by 100 megawatts, the equivalent of one million desktop computers going into sleep mode.
The energy supplier said its team measured Sydney's electricity use at 2,688 megawatts about 2.40pm (AEDT) on Tuesday.
Demand dropped over the next 30 minutes to a low of 2,584 megawatts about 3.15pm by the time the horses were out and running - almost a four per cent drop, or 100 megawatts.
It was back up by 60 megawatts by 4pm (AEDT).
"The Melbourne Cup is really the only event where we consistently see this sort of sudden drop in electricity usage," Ausgrid energy efficiency expert Paul Myors said.
Ausgrid supplies power to 1.6 million homes and businesses across Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter.
Parker's Luck Nextanix
- Wednesday, 02 November 2011 04:46
Trainer Kerry Parker has had a frustrating run of setbacks with progressive gelding Nextanix and is hoping his fortunes have finally turned.
The lightly-raced four-year-old will step out in the Sharp Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday, the final meeting at the track before it is shut down for major reconstructive work.
Nextanix showed promise as a three-year-old and was fifth to the ill-fated Lion Tamer in the Listed Ming Dynasty last spring.
But he was struck down by a nasty bug while spelling and missed the autumn carnival.
Resuming in July, he easily won his maiden at Kembla Grange before a fourth to Valdhez at Rosehill and fast-finishing second to Altius at the same venue.
Just as Parker started looking towards the spring, bad luck struck again.
"He came up with a bit of a temperature and I had to put him out to get over it," Parker said.
"He got really crook in the paddock a year ago so I wasn't going to take any risks with him."
Nextanix returned last month and broke his city duck with a strong win over 1400m on Randwick's Kensington track.
As is his usual racing pattern, he settled towards the tail and roared home.
Parker's only concern this weekend is that the race is run at a genuine tempo to allow Nextanix to unleash his big finish.
"He ran terrific, it was good to get a result," Parker said of the Kensington track win.
"He's going to get back. He doesn't show a lot of early speed, he never has.
"All in all I'm happy with him, he's one hundred per cent but race tempo is what can go against him."
Parker has no grand plans for Nextanix this preparation but is keen to build the foundations for his future.
He is hoping to test him over ground and believes he will eventually run 2000, even 2400, metres.
"I think the further he goes the better he will be," parker said.
"What this preparation is about is teaching him to be a racehorse."
Parker is also hoping for a change of luck with stakes performer Brilliant Light who will resume in the Listed Skin Fitness Ladies Day Cup (1300m) at Thursday's Hawkesbury Cup meeting.
Third in the 2010 Doncaster Mile, Brilliant Light's best performance in nine runs since was a fourth in the Group Two Ajax Stakes (1500m) in March.
Wide gates and niggling problems have underlined that period but Parker says Brilliant Light heads into Thursday in good shape.
"He is sound and well and I'm happy with him," Parker said.
"But he's got to produce on race day.
"I thought if I put him on a Villiers campaign, he misses the A-graders in the spring and we can just try to get his confidence back and get him winning again."
Wide Draw To Suit Lucky Dubai
- Tuesday, 01 November 2011 02:16
A wide draw will work in favour of Queensland mare Lucky Dubai as trainer Kim Craft tries to continue a family affinity with the Hawkesbury Gold Cup.
Lucky Dubai has drawn the deepest gate in a capacity field of 16 for Thursday's Sydney provincial feature but Craft says the barrier will be an advantage.
"She always runs better from outside draws because she's not happy racing inside horses," Craft said.
"When she drew an inside gate at Eagle Farm last time she didn't get out until a few strides past the post."
Leading Brisbane jockey Jim Byrne, who won on Lucky Dubai at Eagle Farm two starts ago, will take the ride in the $150,000 race.
Craft's father Col Harwood, who died in July, trained three Hawkesbury Gold Cup winners - Magic Road (1995 and 1996) and Thrifty Reserve (1993).
"It's a race with some significance for my family and it would be nice to emulate Dad in winning it," Craft said.
Lucky Dubai is one of the outsiders at $23 in TAB Sportsbet's opening market with dashing sprinter Somepin Anypin dominating betting at $1.65.
Whereas Lucky Dubai is a five-time winner over the Cup distance, Somepin Anypin is on trial at the 1600 metres.
But the Gary Portelli-trained galloper has been in devastating form with wins at his last two starts, including a track record victory over 1400 metres at Rosehill.
He, too, has drawn wide in gate 14 but it's unlikely to stop jockey Jim Cassidy from pressing forward - tactics he has employed with success this campaign.
If early betting translates into how the race will unfold, in-form trainer Guy Walter will supply one of the few dangers to Somepin Anypin.
Walter, who saddled up Foxstar to win at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day, will be represented by honest miler Willy Jimmy, an $8 chance.
The Warwick Farm trainer had hopes of running Willy Jimmy in the $1 million Group One Emirates Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
"It looks like he won't get a run in the Emirates," Walter said.
"Hawkesbury is not really his track but he is number 24 in the ballot for the Emirates and he is getting to a rating where he is hard to place."
Sydney Shares The Melbourne Cup Spirit
- Tuesday, 01 November 2011 08:16
Sydneysiders packed big screen venues in Sydney's heart to soak up the Melbourne Cup vibe in a typically carnival atmosphere.
Energy supplier Ausgrid said electricity use across its metropolitan network plunged 100 megawatts - the equivalent of one million desktop computers dropping off to sleep mode - as the city powered down to watch the race that stops a nation.
At Royal Randwick racecourse, more than 25,000 people were blessed with blue skies for the final day of Sydney Spring Carnival.
Two high-profile Sydney identities put their "hard-earned" on Bart Cummings-trained horses.
Former prime minister John Howard risked a "modest amount" on 11th-placed Precedence.
But as he walked down Elizabeth Street in the CBD shortly before the 3pm (AEDT) off, he declined to say how much he had wagered.
"I'm a cautious punter, cautious and infrequent," he told AAP.
Another notable Australian, crooner Kamahl, shared the former PM's bad luck after splitting his $50 between Precedence and Illo, which came in at 19th.
First-time punter Jeroen van Amerongen was one of several hundred cheering punters in Martin Place as he watched his horse Dunaden win in a photo finish.
The 29-year-old consultant turned his $20 wager into $170 by picking the French horse behind gate three.
"I had this feeling it had to be number 3 and it was, although it was close," Mr van Amerongen told AAP.
With his mum Marianne Veerkamp, aunt Joke Veerkamp and his stepdad Ham Essers visiting Sydney from The Netherlands, he now has even more reason to celebrate.
A couple of kilometres away, office workers gathered at Darling Harbour's bars and restaurants to cheer on the Cup field of 23 thoroughbreds.
Anthony Kaelin lost 100 per cent of his investment, after he "copy-pasted" his trifecta bet straight from Macquarie Bank research he found online.
"I donated $60 to my favourite charity - other people." he said.
Ahead of the race, the children's charity Variety auctioned off some Brett Whiteley paintings and a Tour de France jersey signed by Australian champion Cadel Evans at a Melbourne Cup lunch for sick and disabled children.
Schofield In Early Randwick Double
- Tuesday, 01 November 2011 01:31
Apprentice Chad Schofield got his day off to a winning start at Randwick and hopes it's a sign of things to come for his father later on Tuesday.
Schofield is the son of top jockey Glyn Schofield who rides the Chris Waller-trained Hawk Island in the $6 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
"It's fantastic to get a winner on Melbourne Cup day," 17-year-old Schofield said after riding the David Hayes-trained Friday Hussy to victory in the opening race atRandwick.
"I've won a staying race here in Sydney so hopefully Dad can get the staying race in Melbourne."
Schofield made it an early double when steering the Scott Singleton-trained Dark Brown Sugar to an easy win in the Bacardi Maiden plate (1300m).