Jim Cassidy (jockey)

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.

Jim Cassidy
OccupationJockey
Born (1963-01-21) 21 January 1963
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,

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, RiccartonKilljoyJ.N.J Healey, Richmond
1981Brisbane CupFour Crowns
1981[8]Wellesley Stakes, TrenthamBisetteTrevor McKee
1981Avondale CupAliceMrs J Hercock, Hastings
1983[9]Wellington CupKiwiSnow Lupton, Waverley
1983Melbourne CupKiwiSnow Lupton, Waverley
1983New Zealand 1000 GuineasBurlettaF P Campbell, Hastings
1983Levin ClassicBurlettaF P Campbell, Hastings
1984Manawatu Sires Produce StakesVin D'ArmourJ R Lynds, Woodville
1983/84Canterbury Gold CupCommissionaireNoel D Eales, Awapuni
1983/84Great Northern Breeders OaksSilver ElmNoel D Eales, Awapuni
1983/84Matamata Breeders StakesVin D'ArmourJ R Lynds, Woodville
1983/84Eulogy StakesBurlettaF P Campbell, Hastings
1983/84Gold Trail StakesBurlettaF P Campbell, Hastings
1984Cambridge Stud International StakesCommissionaireNoel D Eales, Awapuni
1990Australian DerbyDr GraceDr G Chapman
1991Doomben CupRough HabitJohn Wheeler
1992Doomben CupRough HabitJohn Wheeler
1992All Aged StakesRough HabitJohn Wheeler
1992AJC Queen Elizabeth StakesRough HabitJohn Wheeler
1993All Aged StakesRough HabitJohn Wheeler
1993Australian DerbyInnocent KingK A Jordan
1993Doomben CupRough HabitJohn Wheeler
1994Caulfield StakesRough HabitJohn Wheeler
1997Caulfield CupMight and PowerJack Denham
1997Melbourne CupMight and PowerJack Denham
1998W.S. Cox PlateMight and PowerJack Denham
1998Caulfield StakesMight and PowerJack Denham
2000Caulfield CupDiatribeG M Hanlon
2001Golden Slipper StakesHa HaGai Waterhouse
2009George Ryder StakesVision and PowerJoseph Pride
2009Australian DerbyRoman EmperorBart Cummings
2013Coolmore Stud StakesZoustarChris Waller
2013Golden Rose StakesZoustarChris Waller
2015All Aged StakesDissident [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. "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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