Cassidy's century celebrated at Randwick

Saturday 9 November 2013, 2:34pm

A week after racking up his 100th Group One win, Jim Cassidy was still on a high at Randwick.

The crowd was much smaller than the one which greeted Cassidy when he returned to scale aboard Zoustar at Flemington but the smile on the champion jockey's face was just as big.

Trainer Ron Quinton, Sydney's premier jockey eight times, was called on by Australian Turf Club chief executive Darren Pearce to make a special presentation to mark the occasion of Cassidy's career milestone.

Quinton handed over a silver plate, engraved to signify the feat, and a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue label to celebrate it.

Cassidy joined an elite club with Roy Higgins and the late George Moore the only other two Australasian jockeys to have ridden 100 Group One winners.

"It's a special moment today," Cassidy said.

"To join the company of George Moore and Roy Higgins, it's something to be proud of and they are both great human beings.

"George Moore was an idol of mine."

Quinton, who rode against Moore and Higgins as well as Cassidy and is now recognised as a great mentor for apprentice jockeys, heaped praise on the newest recruit to the century club.

"I don't think I've seen any better than Jim and that includes the lot of them," he said. "Throw them all in."

Among Cassidy's Group One tally is the 2000 Salinger Stakes winner Easy Rocking, Quinton's first elite victory as a trainer.

At 50, Cassidy has no plans to retire."

"While I've got horses like Zoustar and trainers supporting me, I'll keep riding," he said.

"I think I'm riding as well now as I ever have."

Cassidy has suffered some serious injuries during his career and also spent a lengthy time out of the saddle when he was disqualified in the wake of the infamous "jockey tapes" affair of the 1990s.

He has come back each time but admitted it took a little longer these days to get his body in shape.

"I ain't going anywhere yet," he said.

– AAP

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