Jockey happy as Larry in retirement

By Jordan Gerrans

As fiercely competitive as any elite-level rider in a race but also a great, humble mate in the jockey’s room.

That is how Larry Cassidy’s peers have summed up his career following the respected hoop’s decision to officially retire from race riding.

The end has been coming for the 54-year-old, who had not ridden in a race since late November of last year.

The 42-time Group  1 champion was battling a back concern through 2023 before a debilitating finger injury eventually forced him to pull stumps on his glittering tenure in the saddle.

The Kiwi initially called Sydney home when he first came to Australia to ride alongside his fellow high-flying jockey brother Jimmy before settling in the Sunshine State in recent years.

Like Cassidy, Robbie Fradd rode on the world stage before finishing his career in Queensland.

Fradd has also retired over the last few years and described Cassidy as a ‘master tactician’.

“I had the privilege of riding with Larry and to say he was competitive was an understatement,” Fradd said.

“He was extremely strong in a finish and he knew where his dangers are going to be positioned and knew their ability, as well.

“It was an honour to have shared the same jockey room with Larry.”

Cassidy will arguably be best remembered for starting Winx’s famous winning streak at the Sunshine Coast in the 2015 Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas.

The race has since been renamed the Winx Guineas.

He was also a regular race day pilot of the great Sunline.

Queensland Jockey's Association General Manager Glen Prentice worked closely with Cassidy in recent years as he was an active member of the QJA.

While he was a star hoop on the track, Prentice notes Cassidy also pushed for better riding conditions for every jockey in the Sunshine State.

“He started the streak on Winx, riding Sunline to a lot of Group 1 victories as well as the untapped John Hawkes-trained filly Unworldly to Group 1 wins,” Prentice said.

“He dominated the Randwick mile’s for a period of time, which are no doubt career highlights and he retires with the upmost respect of his peers and will be sorely missed in the jockey's room.

“On behalf of the Queensland Jockey's Association and its members we congratulate Larry on an amazing career with over 40 Group 1 victories and multiple premiership wins.

“Larry was tireless in his work for jockey's not only throughout Queensland but the whole of Australia.”

Cassidy was on the comeback trail from back surgery when he suffered the unfortunate finger injury which eventually ended his career.

He has had the troublesome finger operated on twice after a trackwork incident at Eagle Farm.

There was some initial thought towards the finger being amputated but it remained and it had been a thorn in Cassidy’s riding return ambitions ever since.

Hakkai Maru for trainer Louise White was Cassidy’s last winner at Caloundra in September of last year.  

According to Racing And Sports’ statistics, Cassidy piloted 2,722 winners across his career.

He enjoyed a long-term fruitful association with the leading Hawkes stable, which led to three straight riding premierships in Sydney between 1998 and 2000.

“After more than a year, two surgeries and numerous painful physio sessions, I have made the difficult decision to retire,” Cassidy announced late last week.

“I want to thank everyone that has helped and supported me throughout my 39 years of riding.

“I have been lucky enough to have had a wonderful career and I am now excited to start the next chapter, hopefully in this great industry.”

As Cassidy notes, his future following his riding retirement is likely to still be in the racing game.

“I am inquiring into a few things because I need to do something,” Cassidy said.

“I have sat around for nearly 18 months and it frustrates you – it is mentally no good for you.

“I want to stay in the racing industry and I am looking at a couple of options, I just need to delve into the jobs a little more.

“I will make a choice with what I do next year.”

Over the last decade, Cassidy has averaged about 45 winners a campaign which included a handful of black-type triumphs.

As top Brisbane-based hoop Vlad Duric remembers, Cassidy was regarded as one of the greatest hoops in Australia at the peak of his powers.

“Larry rode in Sydney when I was in Melbourne through my career but both brothers – Jimmy and Larry – when I was coming through my apprenticeship, they were top of the tree riders,” Duric said.

“I do not think people realise that have seen Larry in his recent years when he is at the back end of his career.

“Back in those days when I was an apprentice – he was one of the jets. He had a marvellous career and rode some champions.

“He was a hell of a good jockey and I am grateful that guys like Larry have been around to watch them and celebrate their careers at the end of it.”

Fellow former jockey Dale Spriggs - who rode thousands of winners in NSW – also lauded Cassidy as a person as well as his horsemanship skills.

“Larry was one of the good guys of racing, he was super competitive in a race, he was fortunate enough to ride some of the greats of the turf,” Spriggs said.

“Away from a race Larry is a genuine fella, he always gave you with a smile.

"We have shared and still do to this day have some great laughs.

“When I congratulated him on his career after he announced his retirement, his response was “it was a pleasure to ride with you” - that’s the kind of person Larry is, humble.”