KEY POINTS:
Jim Cassidy will ride Redoute's Dancer in the Rosehill Guineas if New Zealand jockey Vinny Colgan cannot take the mount, Sydney trainer Tim Martin said last night.
Colgan was suspended at Ellerslie on Saturday for two weeks which would see him miss the ride on Redoute's Dancer in the A$500,000 ($575,000) Rosehill Guineas in Sydney on March 24.
Colgan had ridden Redoute's Dancer to win the group one $700,000 New Zealand Derby (2400m) for three-year-olds at Ellerslie on March 3.
He had also ridden the horse to victory at his previous start in the group two $100,000 Championship Stakes (2100m) for three-year-olds at Ellerslie on February 17.
The wins had earned Colgan the Rosehill Guineas mount and possibly the A$2 million AJC Australian Derby (2400m) two weeks later.
Cassidy, a former New Zealand rider, had become the regular rider of Redoute's Dancer in Sydney and Martin said he was a likely replacement.
"I would say Jim Cassidy would ride him if Colgan doesn't," Martin said.
Martin said Colgan had not advised him of the suspension and he would be making his own inquiries.
"I'll give him a call tomorrow," said Martin, adding that Redoute's Dancer had arrived back in Sydney at the weekend in good heart.
Colgan could not be contacted yesterday to see if was considering an appeal against the length of suspension.
He was ousted from after Wednesday's racing and up to and including March 29 for his ride on Dezigna in the New Zealand Stakes.
Colgan pleaded guilty to careless riding for allowing Dezigna to shift inwards with about 1500m to run, causing Sharvasti to be checked.
Meanwhile three other riders were suspended at Ellerslie on Saturday.
They were Lisa Cropp, Leith Innes and Samantha Spratt.
- NZPA
