A winter return to his home state for his stable stars has led to a strong start to the season for big Queenslander Peter Moody.
He banked the first group 1 of the season with Dissident in Saturday's Memsie Stakes and has a couple in the top three of betting for the Golden Rose - Bring Me The Maid and Better Land after all of them wintered in Queensland.
"I would take 20 or 30 up there if I could because it is just so good for them," Moody said. "They have been up there for a couple of months. The nights are cold but they get that sun on their back and it really helps. They are all up and running early on [in the spring].
"We had eight up there this year and part of the group were Dissident, Bring Me The Maid, Better Land and Wish Come True [who ran on well for fourth in the Premier's Cup on Saturday]. "They are building a pretty good record."
Dissident, who has spent the past month in Sydney, will progress to the Makybe Diva Stakes and Underwood Stakes in coming weeks. Moody will then make a decision about the Cox Plate with the son of Sebring, a two-time group 1 winner.
"He did a very good job against a good field and we let him show us where to go from here," Moody said. "It is always good when they come back as four-year-olds like that."
Moody will keep the powder dry on his Golden Rose contenders this weekend. Luke Nolen will ride Silver Shadow winner Bring Me The Maid in the $1million group 1 at Rosehill on September 13 but the jockey is undecided about Better Land, who is on the second line of Rose betting at $9 although not assured of a start.
"He should be," a frustrated Moody said, pointing to Better Land being the main sufferer of interference when fourth in the Up And Coming Stakes.
"He should of, would of, won that with a clear run. But should ofs and would ofs doesn't count. We are hoping [for a Golden Rose start] but it hasn't stopped plenty of jockeys ringing for the ride.
"We wait and see and I'm sure we will be able to get someone if he gets a run."
While Bring Me The Maid won't be there in the Furious Stakes, stablemate Clover Lane, who was third in the Silver Shadow Stakes, will line up. Moody is also considering sending Lidari and Brambles up to Sydney for the Chelmsford Stakes on Saturday.
"We will just have a look at that race and the Dato Tan Chin Nam [Stakes] and work out which is the best place for them," he said.
