Trainer Peter Moody believes that Dissident is facing a herculean task when he chases his third straight win at Group 1 level in the 2014 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield on Sunday.
Dissident has the chance to record a third straight win at Group 1 level in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Dissident started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with back-to-back wins in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30 and the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13 and Moody has been thrilled with the form of the four-year-old, but told Racing Ahead this morning that the Sebring entire faces a tough assignment in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).
“I think that he has really come on as a four-year-old and he has matured into a magnificent horse,” Moody said.
“He is a wonderful individual and his two weight-for-age wins have been outstanding.
“He sort of had some flair about his first win and it was grit and determination about his second win, but Sunday is a whole different ball game.
“He is back to handicap conditions, he has to give most of the field five kilos and it is going to be a herculean task for him to win here on Sunday, but he is in the vein of form that he can run very well.”
The 2014 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes barrier draw was conducted at Caulfield this morning and Moody was delighted to personally draw barrier five for Dissident and barrier one for his other runner A Time For Julia.
Dissident has been ridden just behind the leaders in both the Memsie Stakes and the Makybe Diva Stakes and Moody said that he will be happy for jockey Ben Melham to position the triple Group 1 winner in a similar position in the Sir Rupert Clark Stakes this weekend.
“He is a brilliant gate horse,” Moody said.
“I would think that some of these lower weighted horses in there, the likes of Sistine Demon, will go forward, Trust In A Gust ran handy the other day and Sweet Idea is a front-running filly.
“There is going to be plenty of tempo, but this horse puts himself into the race.
“At first glance of this field he will probably position up fifth or sixth and if they run it true it is probably going to aid his cause because it will allow him to build momentum and roll into the race.
“If it is a stop start affair it will make it hard when he is giving five kilos and you can’t expect him to quicken as good as horses with 52 on his back.”
Moody made the decision after the Makybe Diva Stakes that the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) would be the major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival target for Dissident and he spent plenty of time working out what path that the Cox Plate favourite would take to the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship.
Dissident will have his next race start in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 11 before running in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley a fortnight later and he admitted that he hadn’t freshened his star galloper up for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes this weekend.
“It kept it easier, it is two weeks, two weeks until the Cox Plate, which is going to be his ultimate target,” Moody said.
“It makes it very easy for a trainer to be honest.
“One think I am warning about it that he is being trained for a mile and a quarter this horse.
“People have got to be wary about that.
“Is he going to have enough speed in his legs to win a 1400? We won’t know that until Sunday afternoon.
“It is a very important race for an entire to put this on his resume and I am extremely mindful of that, but I am also mindful that the Cox Plate is his goal since his Makybe Stakes win and a very important goal.
“I probably haven’t freshened him up a lot.”
Moody is chasing his second win in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes after taking out the 2012 edition of the race with Moment Of Change.
