Jockey Larry Cassidy will fulfill his book of eight rides at Doomben before taking a week off to allow his injured finger to recover ahead of next month's Group One Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.Since moving to Brisbane from Sydney last month, Cassidy has ridden 11 winners with his latest the Barry Baldwin-trained Local Talent at Doomben on Wednesday.However, he has been riding for the past fortnight with a badly sprained middle finger on his whip hand which was injured when an unruly mount r

Jockey Larry Cassidy will fulfill his book of eight rides at Doomben before taking a week off to allow his injured finger to recover ahead of next month's Group One Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.

Since moving to Brisbane from Sydney last month, Cassidy has ridden 11 winners with his latest the Barry Baldwin-trained Local Talent at Doomben on Wednesday.

However, he has been riding for the past fortnight with a badly sprained middle finger on his whip hand which was injured when an unruly mount reared up in the Eagle Farm enclosure.

Cassidy is excepted to ride the Baldwin-trained Burdekin Blues in the 1200-metre Newmarket Handicap if the four-year-old receives enough weight.

He hasn't officially been informed he's to ride Burdekin Blues and needs a fortnight's notice to ensure he can get his weight down to ride the sprinter in Melbourne.

"If he gets around 51.5 kilos which everyone expects then I'll be able to make that weight," Cassidy said.

"But I haven't been told I've got the ride yet."

Cassidy said his injured finger was improving but it was swollen again after he rode at Wednesday's Doomben meeting.

"My finger is slightly bigger today than yesterday but it's coming right," he said.

"I'm committed to riding at Doomben on Saturday but after that I'll need a week off to get it right.

"I'll ride Saturday but I won't ride trackwork next week or at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.

"After Saturday I won't ride again until the following Saturday."

X-rays have cleared Cassidy of any breaks but the popular hoop feels he may have a hairline fracture which is taking time to mend.

"It wouldn't surprise me if there's a hairline fracture there somewhere but the chance of an MRI scan picking it up are quite small," he said.

Trainer Robbie Heathcote is relieved Cassidy will ride at Doomben where he'll partner last start winner Bell Academy in the Girl's Day Out 28th March Handicap (2220m).

Bell Academy will head to the spelling paddock after this assignment and may return in time for the latter stages of the Brisbane winter carnival.

"Realistically I'm not looking at this year's winter carnival but next season will be his year," Heathcote said.

"He won the Grand Prix last year as a Class Two horse and his win last start as a Class Three horse in Open company was a huge bonus."

Heathcote expects another strong performance from Bell Academy on suitable soft conditions but fears the Chris Jordan-trained Fulmonti which finished fifth behind his four-year-old at Doomben on February 7.

"Fulmonti was very unlucky against us last time," Heathcote said.

"The track that day favoured front runners and Larry Cassidy showed the right initiative to have my bloke in a forward position.

"But Fulmonti came from last and was a huge run."