Cassidy poised for spring carnival return

By Caryl Williamson

SYDNEY, Oct 29 AAP - After spending Cox Plate day in Sydney, champion jockey Jim Cassidy will be back in the thick of the action on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.

Among his key rides is Dear Demi who contests the Group Two Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on her way to the Oaks five days later.

The Clarry Conners-trained filly is second favourite for the Oaks (2500m) behind Zydeco despite finishing in front of the Darley filly in the Thousand Guineas won by Commanding Jewel.

Cassidy's Thousand Guineas ride won praise from all quarters when he steered Dear Demi over from the outside gate to the fence.

She couldn't get clear when it counted and finished 2-3/4 lengths from the winner, a nose in front of Zydeco.

"She really deserves to win a big one," Cassidy said.

"Hopefully she wins the Wakeful and can go on and win the Oaks."

Dear Demi stamped herself as an Oaks prospect early in her career, drawing comparisons from Conners with the great Research who he trained to win the 1988 Wakeful and VRC Oaks and the AJC Australian Derby-Oaks double the following autumn.

As a two-year-old Dear Demi won the Listed Fernhill (1600m) and finished second to Pierro in the Group One Champagne Stakes over the same distance.

She won the Group Two Furious Stakes (1400m) at her second start this spring and finished third in the Group One Flight Stakes before her Thousand Guineas placing.

The Anthony Freedman-trained Zydeco was also among the 21 entries taken on Monday for the Wakeful which has a capacity field of 18.

Zuccotto, a close relation to Tie The Knot who died at the weekend, should scrape into the field and if she does, trainer Guy Walter believes she can be a force in both the Wakeful and the Oaks.

Commanding Jewel, a three-quarter sister to last year's Wakeful winner Atlantic Jewel, is already in the spelling paddock for a well-deserved rest.