Dissident will have class on his side in the Rupert Clarke Stakes even though Peter Moody warns the Cox Plate favourite is being trained for longer races in the coming weeks.
Moody took the opportunity to give the triple Group One winner a gallop at Moonee Valley on Monday morning in preparation for the horse’s planned Cox Plate mission next month.
After Dissident’s wins in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) and Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) this campaign, Moody has tried to plot the best path to the Cox Plate (2040m).
He has elected to run the four-year-old in Sunday’s Group One Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on his home track at Caulfield before stepping up to 2000m two weeks later in the Caulfield Stakes.
Moody believes staying at home for the Rupert Clarke is a better fit for the entire’s campaign than heading to Sydney for the Epsom Handicap (1600m) a week later.
And while Moody believes Dissident’s class can still carry him a long way in the Rupert Clarke, he admits he is training the horse for 2000m races.
“I think people have got to keep in mind that I’m training him for the Caulfield Stakes and the Cox Plate,” Moody said.
“That’s probably going to take some of the speed out of his legs for the Rupert Clarke. But that’s the big picture.
“The punters have got to be aware. I’m not training him to have the zip in him.
“I’m training him for the Caulfield Stakes. I want him to prove to me that he can run a genuine 10 furlongs (2000m) and then he’s got the Cox Plate two weeks after (the Caulfield Stakes).
“Sunday is a good gallop for that.”
Ben Melham, who been on Dissident for his two wins this campaign, rode the son of Sebring in Monday’s workout.
Dissident clocked 25.2 seconds for the last 400m of his solo gallop.
“He probably doesn’t get the opportunity again before the Cox Plate and he’s never raced here before,” Moody said.
“It’s not something I usually do but the fact that we’re five weeks out, I thought we’d have a look while the opportunity was there.”
Melham said Dissident was free in his action and seemed to take it all in.
“He’s pretty casual but I was really happy with the way he worked,” the jockey said.
