Spring Champion Stakes winner Complacent was one of 24 horses included in the first acceptances for the 2013 Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) that will be run at Flemington on November 2.
Complacent progressed from a maiden at Hawkesbury to win the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in just two starts. Photo by: Steve Hart
Complacent progressed from a maiden at Hawkesbury to win the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 28 and followed that win up with a strong victory in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at the same venue.
The Authorized colt is now on top of 2013 Victoria Derby betting markets and showed that he hasn’t gone backwards since his maiden Group 1 victory by producing a strong piece of work at Moonee Valley this morning.
Complacent has been included in the nominations for the Group 2 Mitchelton Wines Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday but trainer Peter Snowden revealed this afternoon that he is leading against not running the three-year-old in the event as he believes the promising stayer does not need another run before the Victoria Derby.
Also heading to the Victoria Derby after performing well in the Spring Champion Stakes is David Payne-trained Criterion.
Criterion started his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign slowly, finishing 11th in the Group 3 Run To The Rose (1200m) and the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m), but has improved significantly when stepped up in distance.
The Sebring colt finished a narrow second behind Eurozone in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) and stormed home late to finish second in the Spring Champion Stakes in a run that indicates he will relish the step-up to 2500 metres in the Victoria Derby.
New South Wales colts currently dominate the Victoria Derby betting market but Robbie Laing-trained Polanski has recorded two strong wins in the Listed UCI Stakes (1800m) and Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) and will head into the Group 1 event as the leading local hope.
Laing purchased the Rakti colt for just $4400 and he has already accumulated $268,815 in prizemoney –an amount he has an opportunity to substantially increase in the $1.5 million Victoria Derby.
Other horses included in the Victoria Derby first acceptances were: Spring Stakes winner Savvy Nature, Darley colt San Diego, Anthony Cummings-trained Drago and the lightly-raced Dark Thunder.
