For the second time in the past week, Australian Horse of the Year Dissident has sired an impressive metropolitan debut juvenile winner with Aidensfield scoring at Caulfield last Saturday and the John O’Shea trained colt Acrophobic saluting at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Second at his only three previous trials, Acrophobic was sent out favourite for the 1400 metre juvenile contest and with James McDonald in the saddle surged to the line to win comfortably by half a length.
“He got a little bit lost when he came off the bridle as he is still learning his craft, but he’s a nice horse going forward and can reach good heights,” said McDonald.
John O’Shea was pleased with the colt, who is entered for the Group I BRC JJ Atkins (1400m) in Brisbane next month.
“That was a good effort because they didn’t dawdle, he was off the bridle a little bit out and you could see how lost he was,” O’Shea said.
“He has the propensity to be a good horse and I think that sometimes the first start can define a horse and we were really happy with him.
“We have a couple (of Dissidents). We have a nice horse called Just Society who is getting up to his distance now and we think quite highly of him.
“This horse was a really special horse because at Easter I thought he was as nice a horse as there was on the ground.
“It’s great for Ron (Finemore) because he’s got a lovely crop of young horses coming through and we’ve also got some new clients Steve Grant and David Paradice who will be sitting up and watching this in New York.
“We will give some consideration to what we do with him, we’ll see what Mac thinks of him but he is entered for Queensland (G1 JJ Atkins) but whether he is ready for that we will make the decision next week.”
Bred by Laurel Oak Bloodstock, Acrophobic was a $180,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Champion Thoroughbreds from the Lime Country Thoroughbreds draft and is a half-brother to this season’s promising staying filly Quintessa, who was third in the Group ATC Australian Oaks.
He is the second foal of Sense of Hite (NZ), a stakes-placed Street Sense (USA) mare from the family of stakes-winners Whitlam, Etymology and Dirty.
Dissident has had a fee reduction at Newgate Farm this spring and stands at $11,000.
