Melbourne premiership trainer Peter Moody believes Thermal Current could be the knockout horse in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Dissident (white and blue) finished strongly for 2nd to Va Pensiero in the Run To The Rose. Photo by Steve Hart.
And he is also giving his other three year old Dissident a good chance of causing an upset in the first Group 1 of the Sydney Spring Carnival.
Moody’s Sydney representative Claire Cunningham came up with barrier eight for Thermal Current at the Golden Rose barrier draw at The Star in Sydney but was out of luck in selecting gate fourteen for Dissident in the seventeen horse field.
Moody’s confidence for Saturday rose after Thermal Current galloped impressively with stable mate High Esteem over 1000m the Sydney way of going at Caulfield this morning.
“He worked super here this morning,” Moody told Racing Network.
“It’s no small task, but the colt is going well, he’s continually improved throughout the prep and he’s cleaned up in the coat.”
Thermal Current was caught up in the backwash of the interference that nearly put Prince Harada through the fence over the concluding stages of the Group 3 $150,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 31 won by the David Hayes trained Fast ‘N’ Rocking.
Both Prince Harada and Thermal Current were able to regain momentum and finish second and third and Moody is certain his colt will be in the finish again.
“The confidence I take in taking those colts on is that I think my bloke is bomb proof. If he draws a gate he will put himself into the race and make his own luck,” Moody said.
Moody is also giving Dissident a strong chance following the Sebring colt’s two seconds at his two Sydney runs.
Dissident made up plenty of ground when second to Eurozone in the Listed $100,000 The Rosebud (1200m) at Randwick on August 10 and again finished his race off doggedly when a head second to Va Pensiero in the Group 3 $125,000 MTA NSW Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on August 31.
“He’s arguably been unlucky his two runs in Sydney. He’s a horse that continues to improve and I think he’s in the race up to his ears,” Moody said.
“Luck plays a big part in these races, but I’m very pleased with my two colts going into the race.”
Cunningham said that barrier fourteen wouldn’t be a huge setback for Dissident who is likely to take a position midfield for Tim Clark.
“Fourteen isn’t ideal but the horse is quite versatile. I think the horse will be comfortable travelling anywhere and he has a great turn of foot, so we hope it pans out,” Cunningham said at the barrier drew.
Prince Harada came up with the number one gate which might not be ideal after he got squeezed up on the fence last start and Hugh Bowman will be looking to get away from the inside when the opportunity presents itself.
The Tony Vasil trained colt heads the Golden Rose market order at $4.40 just in front of Fast’N’ Rocking who will jump from gate five and will be given the run of the race by Brett Prebble.
Cluster (gate 7) is the next in the betting while Chris Waller’s only representative Zoustar is a $10 after coming up with the outside drew.
Dissident has been posted a $15 chance with stable mate Thermal Current marked as at $17 alongside of Bart and James Cummings’ colt Eurozone (2) who will be ridden by Joshua Parr.
