There is a sense of deja vu surrounding Jim Cassidy and Riva De Lago following the barrier draw for Saturday’s Group One Epsom Handicap.
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Having navigated a path to victory from the outside alley aboard the Chris Waller-trained Zoustar in the Golden Rose, Cassidy is confronted with the same challenge to win the Epsom for Sydney’s premier trainer.
Riva De Lago, one of three Waller-trained runners, came up with barrier 17 of 17 at Wednesday’s draw.
Cassidy turned in a brilliant ride aboard Zoustar to bring up his 99th Group One win from barrier 16 in the Golden Rose last month.
And the ever-confident hoop says the wide gate is no bar to him bringing up his century at Randwick.
“There’s no reason why I can’t,” Cassidy said.
“It’s a big run to the first corner and he’s a backmarker which makes it a bit easier.”
Cassidy has two chances to notch his 100th Group One win on Saturday.
While he does not have a mount in the Flight Stakes he has picked up the ride on the Waller-trained Lucripetous in the Metropolitan.
Favoured to reach the milestone two weeks ago aboard Hawkspur, only for that horse to finish an eye-catching fourth in the George Main Stakes, Cassidy doesn’t want to pre-empt the possibilities of it happening at Randwick.
“I’m not talking about it this week,” Cassidy said.
“It will happen when it happens.”
Waller’s other runners, Sacred Falls and Boban, drew nine and 11 respectively.
Boban’s tendency to over-race had Waller hoping for a kind gate but he was satisfied there would be sufficient speed for the equal favourite to find a nice position.
“I think he’ll be fine from that gate,” Waller said.
“With 17 runners I expect a good tempo.”
Sacred Falls will be striving to become the first horse to win the Doncaster Mile and Epsom Handicap in the same year since Racing To Win achieved the feat in 2006.