Jim Cassidy knows a thing or two about the ups and downs of racing and the first Saturday of spring is full of opportunities for the grand slam-winning jockey.
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However, he knows good management and a healthy dose of luck are needed to have success in the coming months.
"Some things don't change," he said. "You still need to keep your horses in one piece and ride well for people to keep putting you on."
Cassidy will ride several spring candidates at Randwick on Saturday, starting with Silver Shadow Stakes winner Thump in the Furious Stakes. He has picked up the rides on Aussies Love Sport in the Ming Dynasty Quality and Shoot Out in the Tramway Stakes.
But it is Queensland Derby winner Hawkspur, which has his second run of the campaign in the Chelmsford Stakes, that could take Cassidy down the well-worn path to Melbourne.
"I don't take things for granted these days," he said. "If he is good enough he could take me to Melbourne. I don't assume I'm going to be there … things can go wrong."
Hawkspur might have only run seventh behind Veyron in the Warwick Stakes two weeks ago, but he pleased Cassidy because his goals are a couple of months away.
"He was very good for where he is going," Cassidy said. "He is going to be a lot better at a mile this time than seven [1400m]. He has got bigger fish to fry later on and he is only going to get better."
Cassidy has plenty of experience on what it takes to win Caulfield and Melbourne cups, completing the double on Might And Power in 1997 after announcing himself to Australian punters by winning the 1983 Melbourne Cup on Kiwi.
Diatribe took his Caulfield Cup tally to two in the year 2000 and as Might And Power was, three years earlier, he was a four-year-old. So Cassidy knows what it takes to get a four-year-old like Hawkspur to the biggest prizes in Australian racing.
"He feels like a horse that can make the steps up," he said. "These races are part of the preparation, but once you get to the Turnbull Stakes you get a good guide because you are meeting everything and know where you stand.''
Cassidy likes the potential of Aussies Love Sport: "It is good to get on a horse like him because he is going somewhere in the spring.
"Gai's team is firing and this bloke could be a very nice ride."
