Dissident for Horse of the Year?

Tara Madgwick - Sunday April 19

In a year when many horses have enjoyed varied magic moments it's been Sebring stallion Dissident that has been super consistent at the top level and his efforts should earn him Australian Horse of the Year.

Peter Moody has put the polish on past Australian Horses of the Year in Black Caviar and Typhoon Tracy with Dissident (pictured Steve Hart) set to make it a hat-trick following his emphatic win in the Group I ATC All Aged Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Already a four time Group I winner, three of those victories coming this season at weight-for age, Dissident put himself right in contention with his gritty defeat of Group I VRC Australian Guineas winner Wandjina in the 1400 metre sprint.

Also in the field were pre-eminent sprinters Chautauqua (winner of the ATC TJ Smith) and Terravista (winner of the VRC Darley Sprint) as well as Group I winners Lucky Hussler, Famous Seamus, Shooting to Win, Rebel Dane and Laser Hawk.

Dissident has performed in spring and autumn - and in Sydney and Melbourne - and if not for suffering a bleed when sixth in the Group I MRC Caulfield Stakes, he may well have won the Cox Plate.

A precocious two year-old and a Classic winning three year-old (he won the Group I ATC Randwick Guineas), Dissident has raised the bar again at four to be the best in the country and while arguments can be mounted for other very good horses, logic will lead you back to Dissident.

A powerhouse addition to the Newgate Farm roster for 2015, Dissident was bred and sold as a yearling by Widden Stud and will be the first son of their top class sire Sebring to go to stud.

It's a most fitting result as Dissident was also the first stakes-winner for Sebring when winning the Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview on debut in January 2013.

Given his powerful group of owners, Dissident will be feted with some of the best mares in the country and receive a second to none chance to succeed at stud.

Advertisment

More Reading...

First Stakes-Winner for Cosmic Force – Give Me Space Upsets the Applecart

The $300,000 Group III BRC Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday is often a dress rehearsal for the $3million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in two weeks time and the winner this year was Give Me Space, who produced an incredible last to first finish to credit his sire Cosmic Force with his first stakes-winner.

Catalogue Updates This Week

Plenty of yearling catalogue updates in the past week so here’s the list from stakes efforts, and maiden winners new to their families.

Aussie Metro Double for Ardrossan

Former stakes-winning New Zealand two-year-old Saltcoats has hit his groove in Australia, completing a winning double with a stylish performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 TAB Handicap (2000m) at Randwick.

Eagle Farm Track Record Breaker Bred and Sold by Yarramalong Park

Tony & Maddysen Sears made the decision to geld slick sprinter Steady Ready earlier this year and the move is paying off with the five year-old son of Better Than Ready breaking the Eagle Farm track record for 1000m on Saturday when winning the Benchmark 90 event.

Tutta La Vita US Debut Declared a No Race

The highly anticipated North American debut for expensive Australian bred filly Tutta La Vita did not go as planned in the early hours of Saturday morning.

2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Preview on Sky Monday Night

Tune into Sky Thoroughbred Central on Monday night at 7.30 for the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Preview.

Sires With Winners - Saturday December 28

Here is the full list of 95 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

Sires With Winners - Sunday December 29

Here is the full list of 59 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

Embellish Filly to Chase Black Type for Te Akau

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have long held the belief that homebred Te Akau filly Crown Princess is up to stakes company, and she could get her opportunity to test their faith at Ellerslie on Wednesday.

Invincible Mares Fire Up – 51 Yearlings from Vinnie Mares at MM

Reigning champion sire I Am Invincible has surged to 104 winners for the season over the Christmas break with those winners including lightly raced mare Fickle, who made it a hat-trick of metro wins at Moonee Valley on Saturday, while two more of his older daughters hit the mark as broodmares producing exciting 2YO’s Gallo Nero and Field of Play.