THE sky-rocketing fortunes of jockey Larry Cassidy since returning from Hong Kong continued at Randwick yesterday when he captured the A$700,000 Sydney Cup (3,200 metres) on Gai Waterhouse's Linesman.
It was his third Group One victory at the Australian Jockey Club's autumn carnival and Cassidy was jubilant as he returned to scale.
'I've had a lot of support since I've been back from Hong Kong,' said Cassidy after weighing-in.
'Everything has been falling into place for me and this win today is the icing on the cake.' Cassidy had Linesman - a five-year-old gelding by 1982 English St Leger hero Touching Wood - close to the lead and he dashed away soon after straightening for home.
From there, Linesman, who paid A$11.60 for A$1, continued on strongly to score by nearly six lengths from his stablemate Nothin' Leica Dane, who just edged out AJC Australian Derby winner Ebony Grove. The quinella continued another extraordinary autumn carnival for Waterhouse.
She prepared the winning quinella in the Doncaster Handicap at Randwick last weekend and 40 minutes before the Sydney Cup, she captured the Group One All-Aged Stakes (1,600 metres) with All Our Mob.