Complacent Set For Triple Crown Tilt

Trainer Peter Snowden has revealed that 2013 Spring Champion Stakes winner Complacent has been set for a tilt at the three-year-old Triple Crown during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Complacent will start his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign in the Hobartville Stakes.

Complacent will start his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign in the Hobartville Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart

Last year It’s A Dundeel became the first horse since Octagonal in 1996 to complete the Triple Crown and Complacent is set to follow an almost identical path through the autumn as the five-time Group 1 winner.

Complacent will return to the races in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 1 before stepping up to a mile to contest the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Royal Randwick on March 15.

He will return to Rosehill Gardens to contest the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on March 29 before heading back to Royal Randwick on April 12 for his major autumn target – the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m).

“I’ve had Complacent out at the farm in pre-training and he also looks super,” Snowden told News Limited.

“I’m probably only going to give him four runs, starting off with the Hobartville Stakes, then the two Guineas races into the Derby.

“He is the type of three-year-old that doesn’t need a lot of racing to be ready for the Derby.”

Complacent came from nowhere to become the leading Sydney stayer during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and start the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) as one of the leading fancies.

The Authorized colt made his racing debut with a second place finish at Hawkesbury on July 21 and made his city debut just over a week later with another second place finish behind Tarangower in the Become An ATC Sponsor Handicap (1400m) at Warwick Farm.

He returned to Hawkesbury on September12 and recorded his maiden race win in the Hawkesbury Race Club Motel Handicap (1400m) before stepping up in class and distance to win the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens.

Complacent made his Group 1 debut in the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on October 12 and received a lovely run on the pace before kicking clear with 200 metres left to run to record a comfortable win from Criterion and Savvy Nature.

The Darley colt was well backed in the lead-up to the Victoria Derby and came from the back of the field, after drawing an outside barrier, to finish an impressive second behind Polanski in the Group 1 event.

Snowden has never tasted success in the Australia Derby; finishing second with Retrieve in the 2011 edition of the race.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.