El Roca’s trainer Trent Busuttin can’t help think what might have been after watching Dissident dominate the Group One Memsie Stakes.

Busuttin had been aiming the quality New Zealander galloper El Roca at the Memsie (1400m) until a temperature spike in the week leading into the race forced him to ease up and change his targets.

“It was bittersweet be to honest. You’re always thinking `what if’,” Busuttin said.

“I thought being very early in the spring it was going to be a winnable Group One for El Roca.

“At the same time, it franks the form around El Roca.

“He beat Dissident (in the Eskimo Prince Stakes) and then Dissident beat him in a photo finish in the Randwick Guineas. You can always think `what if’, but that’s racing.

“I’m just pleased the horse is back now and going well.”

El Roca starts his spring campaign in Saturday’s Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington with Damien Oliver to ride.

Oliver partnered the four-year-old to a dominant win in an 800m jump-out at Flemington on Friday.

Busuttin is chasing a valuable Group One win with El Roca to boost the son of Fastnet Rock’s future stud value, and another 1400m feature at Caulfield is the target later this month.

“He’ll resume in the Bobbie Lewis and he’ll be primed second-up for the Rupert Clarke Stakes,” Busuttin said.

“He obviously had that little hiccup that set him back a little bit which was not ideal but it’s better to happen at the start of the carnival than half-way through it.

“I’m very happy with him now.”

Adding to Busuttin’s belief El Roca can translate his autumn form into big race success as a four-year-old is the form of the Joe Pride-trained Terravista who narrowly beat El Roca in the Liverpool City Cup in the autumn.

Terravista was a convincing first-up spring winner in the Show County Quality.

“I’m pretty confident he (El Roca) will be measuring up,” Busuttin said.

The Rupert Clarke Stakes is on September 28.