Racing: Psychologist could be needed after Rosehill row

SYDNEY - Tempers flared after Psychologist's Golden Slipper campaign came to an end, with trainer Tony Vasil furious with Jim Cassidy's ride after the filly led the field by about eight lengths before compounding to finish 10th in the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill On Saturday.

Vasil and Cassidy appeared in separate hearings before stewards with Vasil blasting the veteran rider's handling of the filly.

"I'm furious, after 300m I thought 'what's going on here'," Vasil said.

"I told him [Cassidy] she had blinkers on for the first time and to begin positively but be aware of the fact she had them on for the first time.

"They began that hard but he made no attempt to restrain her. When you go your first 600m in 34 seconds you cannot win. More importantly, it's gutted the horse."

Vasil rode the horse in work on Thursday morning and said that she worked well and didn't overdo anything.

"I rode for 3 years, I've been a trainer for 25 years, I ride all my own work, I'm not stupid. What I saw astounded me," he said.

When it came to Cassidy's turn to front the stewards he was dumbfounded that Vasil had not fronted him after the race.

"He did not have the guts to come and say anything to me before."

"Out there he said to me if it leads it will either win or run last, I bet he didn't say that in here."

Cassidy told stewards he didn't think there was much more he could do to restrain the filly.

"I certainly wasn't breaking its jaw like a cowboy," he said.

"I know it was going quick but what else could I do? I haven't just sat up over its neck and let it rip.

"Bad luck if he's disappointed, I was disappointed."

Stewards adjourned the inquiry and said they would talk to the rider next week.

- AAP