Larry Cassidy has ridden the last two winners of the Glasshouse Handicap, but the multiple Group 1 winning rider will not be attempting to land a straight hat trick of wins in the Glasshouse at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Cassidy has, in fact, been out of action through injury for the last seven months having last seen race action when he partnered Irish Songs in the Tatts Recognition back on November 25.
Ironically, Irish Songs was the horse that Cassidy rode to victory in last yearâs edition of the Glasshouse when he completed the Glasshouse double after having also won the race aboard Le Gai Soleil the previous year. (Irish Songs is back for a crack at a Glasshouse double of his own on Saturday).
It has been a horrible fifteen months for Cassidy since his spate of injury setbacks began last April. Put simply, there has been no easy road back thus far for Cassidy, in any shape or form, and that road continues to wind on in an unpredictable manner to an as yet uncertain destination … and it is all to do with a figure injury.
âTo think it is all about a bloody finger,â said Cassidy with the frustration of this long drawn out and still unfinished saga coming through in his comment.
âWhen I went in for the first surgery the doctor said there was a chance they might have to chop the finger off. If they had chopped it off, I would have been back riding, but obviously the first goal is to save the finger.
âThe surgeon did say it was the worst finger fracture you could ever have and that it is very rare that he sees that type of fracture.
âItâs been eleven weeks now since the second operation,â continued Cassidy. âIn another three weeks I see the surgeon again … so that will be fourteen weeks.
âI have physio three times a week which means I have will have had just over forty physio appointments during that time.
âHas my finger bent more? Yes, it has.
âHas my finger bent enough to race ride? No, it hasnât.
âDoes the prognosis suggest it can get to bend enough?
âIt possibly could … but it will never bend like did.
âIs it very painful? Yes, it is … and that pain factor is very much in play.
âThere is pain when I try to bend it. I canât hold it … I canât hold that position for more … well, letâs just say if I could hold it for ten seconds Iâd be doing very well. Then, when I release it, the pain coming out is just as bad, and, because everythingâs connected in the hand, that goes for the other fingers on my left hand as well.
âI canât even hold a fist for ten seconds … and thatâs just holding a fist by myself without a horse pulling and with a couple of hundred kilos pressing back at you.
âThat makes it difficult … no, I would say impossible, for me to be able to hold the reins and control a horse right now.
âEven if the finger improved and I got there, I would have to ride work for six to eight weeks before I could even consider going to a race-day … and I canât come back to track-work until Iâm ready to do the job, because I canât be bolting for three laps. Who wants a jockey who canât control a horse in trackwork?
âI have struggled a bit mentally, with itâ admitted Cassidy. âIt hasnât been easy.
âEverybody says … âstay positive, stay positiveâ, but when I leave the physio and the physio has said âyou are doing very wellâ but my hand is still in so much pain, all it does is get you down more. It is very difficult to stay positive when Iâm leaving there in awful pain and I havenât been able to bend my finger much further.
âSometimes when I am struggling mentally, I do think … why bother … but, obviously I still hope that I can turn it around because I want to get back riding.
âWhile I try to keep myself motivated, it is difficult when I walk out in pain like that.
âItâs certainly not looking ideal is it … and every time I go through that I walk out and think … is this it? Every time I see the end of my career as coming closer.
âLook, I do know it has to come to and end sooner than later now, Iâm fifty-four today … and up until all this injury after injury started, my body was in pretty good shape.
âI know with age, my career has to come to an end, but this is just an awful way for it to come to an end if that is what happens. Everybody wants to go out on their own terms.
“For now though, I’m going to keep pushing on.”
*Existing customers only. 2nd Racing bet. Excl SA & WA. Tâs & Câs apply. Gamble responsibly.
Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?
Set a deposit limit.
We take a look at the BIGGEST and BEST Free Daily Racing Offers and Betting Promotions from Australia’s leading online...
The is a staying race and is a really good lead up race in terms of the Spring Racing Carnival....
The is a race held at in New South Wales each year. The () boasts a total prize pool of...
Betting in Australia has never been more popular thanks to a large increase in new betting Agencies and Apps available...
Melbourne Cup favourite Middle Earth is likely to lose his tag after a disappointing run in the The King George...
Which bookmaker should you bet with? We Review each of the leading online Australian Bookmakers and rate them in order...
Horse racing. Known as the ‘Sport Of Kings’, an industry worth billions, a very serious business…but to some, it’s a...