Dissident can retire a five time Group 1 winner if he can return to the winner’s circle in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Dissident is looking to retire a winner when he lines up in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
The Peter Moody trained Dissident recorded his fourth Group 1 win when he beat Entirely Platinum and Mourinho in the $400,000 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 14 during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival.
But the four year old then failed as an odds on favourite when third behind Suavito and Smokin’ Joey in the Group 1 $400,000 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield a fortnight later and was subsequently found to be suffering from a minor infection.
Moody is confident that Dissident has recovered from the minor setback and reported that the Sebring stallion has worked strongly on the tracks since and the top Caulfield trainer has secured the services of evergreen jockey Jim Cassidy who showed that he is still at the top of his game by winning the Group 1 $1.6m Schweppes 150th Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on Grand Marshall last Saturday.
“He had a gallop there (Randwick) last Friday and I was very pleased with his work,’’ Moody told The Daily Telegraph.
“The horse is in great shape.’’
Dissident is set to retire and take up stallion duties at Newgate Farm this Spring and Saturday’s race looks certain to be his last racetrack appearance.
“I would suggest there is every chance this will be his last start,’’ Moody said.
“He has been a tremendous horse and it would be lovely for him to go out with another Group 1 win.’’
The first of Dissident’s Group 1 wins was just over twelve months ago when he took out the 2014 $600,000 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick during his three year old season.
He then resumed in the Spring as a four year old to win back to back Group 1s by talking out the $400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30 followed by a win in the $400,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13.
Moody continues to praise the racetrack efforts of Dissident and is confident he will make a tremendous stallion prospect.
“I’m very proud of the horse, he’s done a tremendous job,” Moody said.
“He’s probably one of the best, if not the best, milers in the country.”
“He’s going to make a wonderful stallion. He’s made his value and I’ve got to respect the people who have invested a lot of money in him.”
Dissident’s current record stands at six wins from twenty starts with earnings of almost $1.8m in prizemoney.
