Dissident Brilliant in the Gr.1 NZB Memsie

The Group 1 A$400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes uncovered a rising star when Dissident (Sebring) produced an outstanding turn of foot to claim the second Group 1 victory of his career.

Dissident clear of the field in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

Having won the Group 1 Randwick Guineas last season as a three-year-old, the Peter Moody trained colt stepped out for the first time as a four-year-old and blew away his older rivals.

“He has trained on very well from his three-year-old year to a four-year-old,” commented Moody. “He has shown us good improvement at home but it is always good to see them take it to the races.

“He was very dominant in his second run against the older horses, it shows how much he has trained on and what a terrific turn of foot he has.”

Starting from barrier 5, Dissident jumped well and headed straight for the rail with rider Ben Melham aboard. The son of Sebring enjoyed a cosy trail before being presented at the top of the straight where he unleashed a withering burst of speed to win by 2.3 lengths over Sweet Idea (Snitzel), who led for the majority of the race, and Puissance de Lune (Shamardal) who held out Silent Achiever (NZ) (O’Reilly) for third.

“He becomes an attractive stallion proposition now, he is by a stallion that is going terrific in Sebring and he has been a Group winner at two, three and four and not many entires do that.

“He is on a Cox Plate path at this stage and, if everything goes well, he will go to the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington next.”

Starting from barrier 5, Dissident jumped well and headed straight for the rail with rider Ben Melham aboard. The son of Sebring enjoyed a cosy trail before being presented at the top of the straight where he unleashed a withering burst of speed to win by 2.3 lengths over Sweet Idea (Snitzel), who led for the majority of the race, and Puissance de Lune (Shamardal) who held out Silent Achiever (NZ) (O’Reilly) for third.

“He becomes an attractive stallion proposition now, he is by a stallion that is going terrific in Sebring and he has been a Group winner at two, three and four and not many entires do that.

“He is on a Cox Plate path at this stage and, if everything goes well, he will go to the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington next.”

Dissident is raced by a large group of owners including Moody himself along with the One for the Boys Syndicate, Mr O P Egan, Wheninrome, Mrs A Hunt, Mr S J Hunt, Mrs C A Corcoran, Eaglerise, Mr R K Hamer, Mr J A Mazzarella & Mr M Notarfrancesco. The colt has earned his owners A$1,158,200 from his four wins which have all been at stakes level.

Of Dissident’s four stakes wins, two of them came as a two-year-old before last season’s breakthrough Group 1 win in the Randwick Guineas. By Widden Stud’s Group 1 Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, Dissident is out of the stakes placed Diana’s Secret, who is by another Widden Stud sire Anabaa.

The Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes was the second leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship with Dissident sharing the lead with P.B. Lawrence winner Star Rolling (Casino Prince) on 10 points. Sweet Idea earned 8 points for finishing runner-up and Puissance de Lune collected 6 points for his third placing with Championship points awarded back to eighth placing.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship at Melbourne Racing Club’s Caulfield Racecourse moves onto the Group 1 A$400,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes on 20 September before concluding in the Group 1 A$400,000 Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes on 11 October.

To view the current leaderboard for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Spring WFA Championship at Caulfield, click here.