A clearly distressed Jim Cassidy was stood down from the remainder of his rides at Randwick on Saturday as soon as he returned to scale after winning the opening event on Merchandise.
The champion jockey grimaced with pain from a rib injury as he walked back to the jockeys’ room after partnering the talented stayer to a soft win in the Jim Beam Handicap (2400m).
The imported Merchandise was far too good for his rivals as he swept past stablemate Old Bill, and he had to be as Cassidy was restricted in what he could do as the gelding went to the line under hands and heels riding.
“I just said to Jim when he came back, ‘You’re out of business’, and there was no arguments from him,” chief steward Ray Murrihy said.
“He aggravated a rib injury at the trials yesterday and thought he would give it a go today.
“It was pretty clear he was restricted in what he could do on the horse. We had him checked by the doctor before the races and it was a type of injury where only the individual knows what they could tolerate. He had to see whether he could do it or not. Clearly he couldn’t.
“He was very distressed getting off the horse.”
Despite struggling with the injury, Cassidy still commented on Merchandise’s prospects after dismounting.
“He’s a nice staying horse going somewhere,” Cassidy said.
“He won with a bit of authority today.”
Trainer Chris Waller’s assistant Peter Muscutt said Merchandise would head to the paddock with a view to the autumn carnival staying events, including a possible tilt at the Group One Sydney Cup.
“He’s a lovely horse and does everything right,” Muscutt said.
“I think probably that (Sydney Cup) is the way Chris is looking to head. He’s the sort of horse that’s going through his grades and the further he goes the better he’s going get.”
Merchandise ($2.80 fav) defeated Old Bill ($5) by three-quarters of a length with 2-1/4 lengths back to Shezahotshot ($4.80) in third place.
AAP TURF
