The 2015 Orr Stakes field has been released and 15 gallopers are set to contest the Group 1 event at Caulfield on Saturday.
Dissident is the horse to beat in the 2015 Orr Stakes at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Peter Moody has won four of the past five editions of the Orr Stakes, with Typhoon Tracy (2010 and 2011), Black Caviar (2012) and Moment Of Change (2014), and Dissident is an excellent chance to continue the leading trainers stellar record in the Group 1 event.
Dissident was sent to the spelling paddock after a received a bleeding ban following the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 11 and he returned to racing with a third place finish behind Mourinho in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m).
Moody believes that Dissident has taken plenty of benefit from his first-up run in the Australia Stakes and he revealed yesterday that he would be very surprised if the Sebring entire did not win the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) this weekend.
Mourinho upset Dissident in the Australia Stakes and he will have the opportunity to prove that was no fluke when he returns to Group 1 racing for the Orr Stakes this weekend.
The Oratorio gelding has only record one second-up victory, but he finished second behind The Cleaner in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) second-up last preparation and is racing in career best form.
The Chris Waller-trained duo of Bagman and Beaten Up will also be heading in the Orr Stakes second-up after they returned to racing with positive performances in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 31.
Bagman savaged the line in what was an eye-catching performance and Beaten Up was most impressive in what was his first race start for almost 18 months after he suffered a serious tendon injury during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.
Imported galloper Mouro, out-of-form sprinter Aeronautical and talented three-year-olds Petrology and Java are the only other horses in the Orr Stakes field that have previously had a race start this preparation.
One of the most interesting runners in the Orr Stakes acceptances is Adam Durrant-trained Real Love, who will be having her first race start on the eastern seaboard of Australia in the Group 1 event.
Real Love recorded her maiden win at Group level when he scored an impressive victory in the Group 3 Queen’s Cup (2200m) at Ascot on December 6 and she went on to take out the Listed WA St Leger (2100m) before she led from start to finish in the Group 2 Perth Cup at the same venue on New Year’s Day.
The Desert King mare has been included in the nominations for the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) and is sure to take plenty of benefit from the Orr Stakes.
Veteran gelding Happy Trails will be returning to the races in the Orr Stakes, but he will likely need some luck in running after he was allocated barrier 14 for the $400,000 race.
Like a number of horses in the Orr Stakes field, Happy Trails is on a path to the Australian Cup and he has not recorded a first-up victory since he took out the 2012 edition of the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1200m) in Adelaide.
Star Rolling and Spillway fought out the finish of the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) over this track and distance during the spring and will renew acquaintances in the Orr Stakes, while the Orr Stakes final field is rounded out by Team Hawkes-trained Toydini, Queensland Derby winner Sonntag and promising stayer Entirely Platinum.
