Ron Quinton would love to be able to teach the young apprentices in his care how to ride like Jim Cassidy, but some things just can't be taught.Eight times Sydney's premier jockey and a Group One winning trainer, Quinton is among those captivated by 46-year-old Cassidy's recent run of Group one successes including Saturday's Doncaster Mile on Vision And Power.Quinton now oversees the development of young riders in his position with Racing NSW and mentors senior jockeys as well.He rode against th

Ron Quinton would love to be able to teach the young apprentices in his care how to ride like Jim Cassidy, but some things just can't be taught.

Eight times Sydney's premier jockey and a Group One winning trainer, Quinton is among those captivated by 46-year-old Cassidy's recent run of Group one successes including Saturday's Doncaster Mile on Vision And Power.

Quinton now oversees the development of young riders in his position with Racing NSW and mentors senior jockeys as well.

He rode against the greats during his career and ranks Cassidy among the best.

"Jimmy is one of the greats," Quinton said.

"I rate him up there with the all time best of them.

"He was only a kid when he came here from New Zealand and he is still riding as well as ever.

"His record speaks for itself, there is nothing he hasn't won."

Cassidy's cool ride on Kiwi to win the 1983 Melbourne Cup catapulted the then 20-year-old to instant fame in Australia and he soon made it his home.

His career has been one of extremes with a lengthy ban in the mid 1990s in the wake of the "jockey tapes" scandal the low point.

But Cassidy bounced back and joined forces with owner Nick Moraitis and a horse called Might And Power to win the 1997 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the Cox Plate the following year.

His association with Moraitis continues and two of his three Group Ones this autumn - the George Ryder and Doncaster on Vision And Power - have all been for the Sydney fruit and vegetable merchant.

Quinton says the secret to Cassidy's success is his own self belief.

"He has so much confidence in his own ability," he said.

"He is one of the few jockeys who doesn't panic if he stuck out wide, he just rides it out.

"His natural ability sets him apart.

"He rode Easy Rocking in the Salinger to give me my first Group One winner as a trainer and that was special."

The partnership with Moraitis will be broken temporarily if Vision And Power runs in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Cassidy honouring a commitment to the Bart Cummings-trained Roman Emperor on whom he won the AJC Australian Derby.

But the pair will be reunited in the Sydney Cup with Cassidy to ride Fiumicino, replacing Darren Beadman who rode him to win the BMW.