News

Cassidy tips big things for young Slater

19th May 2010

*Sydney Morning Herald - Craig Young - Thursday, 20 May 2010

Jim Cassidy just doesn't talk like this. The jockey-room elder with more big-race success than any Australian rival stunned regulars at Canterbury yesterday. He had just guided the Chris Waller-trained juvenile Slater to an impressive debut win.

''Got derby written all over him,'' came Cassidy's opening salvo.

And he was just warming up. The man known as ''Pumper'' had everyone's attention. ''He [Slater] has got group 1 written all over him,'' he declared. ''If he doesn't win a group 1 I'll give up. I'll be winning one on him before I do.''

Included in Slater's ownership is Bob Ingham's daughter Debbie Kepitis and husband Paul, with those paying the bills obviously willing to take a punt. There were clearly defects as Slater was bought at the Inglis Easter Sale for $140,000. That's not what you'd expect to pay for a yearling by the super sire Redoute's Choice out of the three-time group 1 winner Special Harmony, which carted off a VRC Oaks.

''I love the horse,'' Cassidy said. ''He's bred to be anything and I think he's the real deal. He's probably one of the nicest babies I've ridden for a while and today was just a bonus.''

Waller remembers the day Cassidy turned up at the Warwick Farm barrier trials on Friday, April 30.

''One of the other jockeys couldn't ride at the trials, Jimmy was there and hopped on [Slater],'' Waller said. ''He returned and told me, 'Don't look for another rider'. You hear these things occasionally, [but] it is always encouraging to hear such comments from a jockey with Jimmy's standing.''

Waller branded Slater, which went into yesterday's race having won a Randwick trial last week, ''special'' but added: ''There is still a long way to go. We're certainly not getting carried away. The bigger the boom the worse they go. He is still a preparation away and then he'll get serious.''

The two-year-old colt is off to the paddock. Waller is not about to set any targets for the spring. Early spring majors such as the $1 million Golden Rose on the home track at Rosehill in August must be enticing. ''[But] we're not going to shorten spells up,'' Waller said.

Cassidy, Waller and Ingham team up again at Doomben on Saturday with Stryker in the Lyndhurst Stud Fred Best Classic. ''He drew the outside and had to work hard from the alley at the Gold Coast,'' Cassidy said. ''The two good runs in the race were his and Phelan Ready. I like this horse, he just needs a touch of luck.''