Derryn will have his next race start in the 2017 Arrowfield Sprint after he returned to winning form in the Darby Munro Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon.

Jockey Regan Bayliss opted to settle Derryn at the tail of the field in the early stages of the Arrowfield Sprint, while Conchita took up the running with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle.

Bayliss asked Derryn for an extra effort at the top of the straight and he cruised down the middle of the track to quickly take up the running before he put away his rivals in the final 100 metres of the race.

Trainer David Hayes was always hopeful that Derryn would have no issues getting through the wet track at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon and he was quick to pay credit to the ride of Bayliss.

“He had his best form last July in the winter in Melbourne, so he had been in the wet,” Hayes said.

“I just love the way that he got on the bit and rounded them up.

“From the 600 I thought that he had them covered.

“For a second I thought he might have got there a fraction, but the margin was a length and a half, so Regan got it right.”

Hayes has always had a big opinion of Derryn and he believes that the son of Hinchinbrook will be very tough to beat in the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 8 – especially if he finds himself on another wet track.

“He will head to the Arrowfield now, which is a really good colts race over the Carnival,” Hayes said.

“If he rains he will dance.”

Hayes has a very strong hand in the 2017 Golden Slipper field and he will be represented by Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes winner Catchy, Magic Night Stakes winner Frolic, Coolmore-owned Formality and the talented Madeenaty in the Group 1 event.