Former New Zealand jockey turned trainer Quinton Cassidy returned to his homeland this week to assist his employer Mr Tao Gu select yearlings at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for his international racing operation.
Cassidy has been travelling to his China base for seven years and currently heads Gu’s training establishment in the developing racing nation, where he is presently based at Yulong.
“I train for Mr Gu in China and the potential is really good up there,” he said.
Prior to his time in China, Cassidy worked for global thoroughbred powerhouse Darley in Sydney after beginning his career as a jockey in New Zealand.
“I actually started my apprenticeship in New Zealand with Graeme Rogerson and Keith Hawtin,” he said. “I did all my grounding here before moving to Sydney to work for Darley. I have been in the industry for more than 25 years.”
Cassidy has been active at Karaka this week, having purchased several yearlings including lot 974, the Tivaci colt out of Stravinsky mare Adriatico, out of Hallmark Stud’s draft for $140,000.
“He is a speedy looking type with a nice page. The Chinese like speedy looking horses, so he ticked a lot of boxes,” Cassidy said.
“He’s by Tivaci, a new season sire, but we were willing to take the risk just on type.”
A property developer in Shia Jia Zhuang, Mr Gu races horses in Australasia and China and Cassidy said he will sit down with his employer after the sale to plan futures of their new acquisitions.
“We bought a few horses, some will go over to China and some will likely race in Australia and some will race here in New Zealand,” Cassidy said.
Cassidy is being kept busy with his training operation in China, but he said he is enjoying a quick visit home to visit friends and family.
“At the moment I have 22 in work and we also have horses in quarantine that we purchased last year. So we will have nearly 40 horses later in the season,” he said.
