Dissident will contest the 2014 Caulfield Stakes this Saturday and will need to give trainer Peter Moody every indication that he is capable of running out a strong 2000 metres in order to contest the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight later.

Dissident will step-up to 2000 metres for the Caulfield Stakes at the home of the Melbourne Racing Club this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Dissident has been the star performer of the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, taking out the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) before finishing second in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m), but he is unproven at 2000 metres after finishing sixth in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in his only previous start over the trip.

Moody told TVN this morning that Dissident doesn’t have to win the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) to press on to the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), but the leading Melbourne trainer does not believe there is any point pressing on the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship with the Sebring entire if he doesn’t run the trip on Saturday.

“He has only had the one try in the Rosehill Guineas and it was on an unsuitable wet track, so I am treating this as his first 2000 metre run ever,” Moody said.

“I am pleased with his progression and it is not a necessity for him to win, but it is a necessity for him to give me every indication that he is going to run it out a strong because I would think Saturday is going to be run stronger than a Cox Plate.

“If he doesn’t give us that indication on Saturday then we don’t need the tickets to the Cox Plate.”

The performance of Dissident in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) was initially rated by Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter as the best performance by a horse in Australia this season, but Moody still not believe that the four-year-old receives the credit that he deserves because of his tough, rather than flashy, style of racing.

“He has been super at seven and he was strong though the line in the mile,” Moody said.

“Fawkner looked like he had him three or four times in the Makybe, but he kept fighting and that is the qualities of this horse.

“He probably doesn’t get the accolades he deserves because of his racing style, but he has done everything asked of him.

“If we get a firm track here on Saturday I am sure that he will give his all again.”

Dissident is currently available at 2014 Cox Plate odds of $7.50 in the betting market with Ladbrokes Australia.