LEADING trainer Peter Moody will not attend Sunday’s Victorian Racehorse of the Year awards, at which his galloper Dissident is favourite to win.

ROD NICHOLSON reports for the HERALD SUN that Moody said he was highly unlikely to attend the Australian title at an MCG extravaganza on October 8 in which Dissident is a red-hot favourite to give the Caulfield trainer a staggering fifth national title in the past six years.

Moody, who in recent years has been the public face of racing, said the stigma associated with Racing Victoria’s attitude to the ongoing cobalt saga was the reason he has decided to reject the invitation.

“I have been invited but I will not be going because Racing Victoria has decided that my involvement in this sport is prejudicial to the image of racing,” the four-time premiership trainer said.

“So I see no good coming from someone from Racing Victoria potentially giving me an award that could further embarrass them, and the sport. I just don’t think it is in anyone’s best interests to attend. I think it is better for me to stay away.

“It is sad. It is disappointing. But Racing Victoria, through the stewards, is saying through the ‘show-cause notice’ and the freezing of Group prizemoney that they believe I am tarnishing the image of racing.

“I don’t want to add fuel to the fire.”

Moody said he hoped only that Dissident would win for the sake of the owners.

“I hope the owners are rewarded, that the horse is rewarded,” he said. “He won three Group 1 races and he was drug-tested every time he raced so there can be no suggestion that he didn’t win fair and square.”

Moody has won the Australian Horse of the Year title with Typhoon Tracy in 2009/10, and the following three seasons with world champion mare Black Caviar. He missed last year when the Mick Price sprinter Lankan Rupee saluted, but he again has the top candidate this year.

Dissident, the now retired son of Sebring, won three Group 1 races and was beaten a short-half-head in another when conceding 6kg. He won $618,000 and beat the ilk of Sweet Idea, Puissance De Lune, Silent Achiever, Fawkner, Spillway, Mourinho and Entirely Platinum.

Dissident put the icing on the cake when he won the All-Aged Stakes at The Championships in April in what most regard as the best race of the Sydney carnival. He beat Wandjina, Chautauqua, Terravista and other quality gallopers to add another $245,000 to his season’s booty.

Importantly, he took his record to four Group 1 wins, double any of his rivals.

The national title on October 8 comes just two days before the Caulfield Cup carnival, with the cream of Australian racing identities in town.

Moody’s cobalt charges are not expected to be heard until after the spring carnival.