By MIKE DILLON
It's payback time for Larry Cassidy in today's $A3 million ($3.83 million) Melbourne Cup.
He and brother Jim - both Kiwi-born champion jockeys - are riding the two favourites, Freemason and Diatribe, and Larry wants to avenge the only time the two went head to head at the finish of a major race.
That was a couple of years ago when Jim, on Heart Ruler, dashed past him on Linesman to win the $A500,000 Metropolitan Handicap in Sydney.
No "sorry mate," or "gee what a great race," just "Gotcha."
"I'll never forget Jim saying that - I can still hear it ringing in my ears," said Larry Cassidy last night as he prepared for his 11th date with the Southern Hemisphere's richest horse race.
He has not won it yet, but the massive frame of Sydney-trained four-year-old Freemason is his best chance yet.
"Yeh, he's a real winning chance, particularly after his good fourth in the Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday. He found the line nicely."
Jim Cassidy said grabbing his brother late in the Metropolitan felt good.
But he admits he will have more than Larry and Freemason on his mind at 5.20 this afternoon.
"Diatribe can win, but he has to settle and not pull hard.
"If the pace slackens at any stage he's a chance to start pulling and you can't run out 3200m of a Melbourne Cup doing that.
"I'm just hoping there is a decent pace."
Unlike his brother, Jim Cassidy has tasted Melbourne Cup success, on Kiwi in 1983 and Might and Power three years ago.
The pair grew up and started their careers in the Manawatu before Jim, who was champion rider in New Zealand, shot to fame with Kiwi's unbelievable cup win.
And while Larry has yet to win the cup, he has established himself as one of the best jockeys in Australia. He has won the ultra-competitive Sydney premiership and is the No.1 rider for Australia's biggest trainer, John Hawkes, who will saddle Freemason today.
The drying Flemington track has swung in favour of New Zealand-owned, Australian-trained Diatribe and the highly fancied New Zealand stayer Kaapstad Way - last night quoted 8-1 third favourite behind the mounts of the Cassidy brothers.
Freemason would probably have preferred a little of the give to have remained in the famous Flemington turf, but Larry Cassidy is not focusing on it.
"I've learned not to worry about track conditions, because if there is one thing you can't change it's the weather.
Victoria Racing Club officials are gearing up for a record Cup crowd of 120,000.
Fine weather, 22 degrees and a firm track are forecast.
And the possiblity of a Cassidy quinella.
Racing: Brother, this will be a real battle
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.