CASSIDY HANDED THREE MONTH SUSPENSION

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Larry Cassidy has been handed a three month suspension after being found guilty on a running and handling charge related to his ride on the $1.70 favourite Trump in the second race at Doomben on September 17.

Whatever the merits or flaws in his decision-making process during the running of the race, Larry Cassidy’s ride on Trump turned out to be a shocker. It was, in essence, a poor ride and it was to have serious repercussions.

In spite of booting home a double over the rest of the card, the ninety-eight seconds it took to guide Trump from start to finish on that Saturday was the overwhelming factor for Cassidy on the day.

For the remainder of the day the multiple premiership winning jockey spent most of the time in-between races being grilled by stewards on various aspects of his ride. Different stewards gave their individual descriptions of the Cassidy ride, as judged from their respective positions at vantage points around the track.

As prescribed, most of that evidence was entered in clinical, practical terms. There was no variance in the testimony from one steward to the next. All posed serious questions about Cassidy’s performance in the saddle.

The rider responded with his explanation. When that wasn’t accepted and questions were re-asked … and then asked again, it became reasonably clear that this was no minor matter and that Cassidy’s position was getting more desperate.

Cassidy’s frustration came out in a comment when he was leaving the stewards room after one adjournment. He was called back in and reprimanded by Chief Steward Wade Birch and told to watch his language. That reprimand was a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.

Meanwhile, out on the track, Cassidy showed his resilience of spirit by booting home two winners, Secrets Untold and Leapfrog, in spite the weight he was carrying on his shoulders.

But things were not going well back in the stewards’ room.

Ultimately, the enquiry ran its course on the day and was adjourned so that stewards could consult the betting sheets with regard to the Trump result. (The race was won by Trump’s stable companion, Bevico Girl).

That enquiry was reconvened yesterday (September 26) where things went from bad to worse for Cassidy.

A formal charge was issued. The rider was found guilty as charged and a suspension of three months was imposed.

Cassidy has the right of appeal.

The full text of the stewards’ verdict reads:

Racing Queensland Limited (RQL) stewards yesterday concluded an inquiry, opened on Saturday, September 17, 2011, into the running and handling of the racehorse Trump, which competed in race two at Doomben on the aforementioned date.

At the hearing today further evidence was taken from the rider of Trump, jockey Larry Cassidy, trainer Mr R. Heathcote, licensed stablehand to Mr Heathcote, Mr R. Ciobo, part-owner of Trump Mr S. Hedge and betting supervisor Mr W. Flynn.

After having considered the evidence stewards issued a charge against jockey Cassidy under AR135(b) which reads:

‘The rider of every horse shall take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that his horse is given full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field.’

The specifics of the charge being:

a)That from leaving the 1500m until near the 1300m when an opportunity existed to allow Trump to improve forward to a position one off the fence outside of Craiglea Hussy, and in circumstances when two competitors namely All The Torque and Black Jag were progressing to the outside of Trump, jockey Cassidy unnecessarily and unreasonably restrained Trump and allowed All The Torque and Black Jag to cross the running of Trump which resulted in Trump being disadvantaged by virtue of having to race three wide without cover.

b)That after restraining Trump for approximately 150m in the back straight which resulted in Trump being positioned some five lengths from the lead near the 1000m and when Trump was traveling strongly under restraint when the pace was only moderate, jockey Cassidy unnecessarily and unreasonably restrained Trump between the 1000m and a point approaching the 800m which resulted in Trump being positioned some five lengths from the lead and three wide without cover near the 800m having in the stewards view expended energy due to continuous restraint from jockey Cassidy.

c)Jockey Cassidy’s riding of Trump did, in the stewards view, deny Trump its full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field.

Jockey Cassidy pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After stewards had an opportunity to consider further submissions from jockey Cassidy, stewards informed him that they believed an opportunity existed to take a position one off the fence outside a Craiglea Hussy in the early stages. It was evident to the stewards that the rider of Atlantis Gem did not indicate contesting that position and it was also evident that Trump had begun cleanly and was holding an advantage over Atlantis Gem running down to the first turn.

Jockey Cassidy’s decision to restrain Trump and allow All The Torque and Black Jag to cross Trump was considered to be unreasonable in all the circumstances.

In respect to jockey Cassidy’s riding in the back straight stewards concluded that jockey Cassidy’s continuous restraint of Trump between the 1000m and the 800m was unreasonable in the circumstances, particularly when the pace of the race was moderate and when a specific instruction was issued by Mr Heathcote to have the horse traveling where it was comfortable.

On this basis stewards found jockey Cassidy guilty of the charge.

After having considered jockey Cassidy’s brief submissions in respect of penalty, stewards informed him that consideration had been given to issuing a merits charge under AR135(a), however stewards were not satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to prove such a serious offence.

Stewards did view this matter very seriously and believed jockey Cassidy’s degree of culpability to be high.

The racing and in particular the betting fraternity are entitled to expect that any rider, in particular a senior and experienced rider will handle any mount to the best of his or her ability on every occasion.

Stewards believed the consequential effects of the breach to be significant bearing in mind that Trump carried significant public expectation evidenced by the strong financial support for the horse and were conscious of the fact that the breach occurred at a metropolitan Saturday meeting which attracts substantial public interest.

In all the circumstances stewards believed the appropriate penalty be that jockey Cassidy’s licence to ride in races be suspended for a period of three months to commence at midnight October 5, 2011 and to expire at midnight January 5, 2012.

At the conclusion of the inquiry Mr R. Heathcote was thanked for his cooperation and forthright evidence throughout the hearing and advised that there was absolutely no evidence to suggest any malpractice on his behalf.

In the Cassidy case, do you think the punishment suits the crime or was the penalty too harsh? For your feedback go to: editor@horseracingonly.com.au