3 minute read
Complacent has gone from a Hawkesbury maiden to Group 1 victory over the course of three starts by claiming last Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
Lightly raced, the Peter Snowden-trained Complacent only shed his maiden status at Hawkesbury a month earlier.
The colt claimed the Gloaming Stakes the start prior and contested last Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) looking to complete a meteoric rise through the grades. 
Complacent edged out Savvy Nature when they clashed a fortnight earlier in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) with the Anthony Cummings-trained Drago in third.
Last Saturday, the trio came up against a number of runners backing up from The Dulcify including winner Rock Hero and Champagne Stakes placegetter Equator.
Form out of the Gloaming Stakes appeared stronger although while Complacent won the event, Savvy Nature’s eye catching second from worse than midfield meant he started last Saturday’s Group 1 Spring Champion as a well tried favourite.
It was a case of déjà vu with the Gloaming Stakes quinella as Complacent began beautifully and utilised his inside gate while Savvy nature settled worse than midfield.
Complacent enjoyed an ideal run in transit as he settled fourth on the rail behind leaders Equator and Vilanova.
Things could not have panned out better for Complacent with clear room presenting itself to the flashy son of Authorized immediately on straightening.
Jockey Christian Reith didn’t waste the opportunity as he urged the Peter Snowden-trained colt into open running from the 350m.
Complacent struck the front approaching the 200m and never looked back, drawing away for a 1.3 length success. 
Criterion put in a long sustained run for second as did Savvy Nature just behind for third.
The Spring Champion Stakes emphasised the strength of the Gloaming Stakes in comparison to the Dulcify Quality with Liberty’s Choice (1.7L) and Equator (3.2L) fifth and sixth respectively the best performed from the latter lead up event.
Dulcify winner Rock Hero could only manage eighth with connections suggesting he didn’t run out a strong ten furlongs.
It brings to an end Rock Hero’s encouraging maiden preparation and with a race campaign now under his belt, could be worth following during the Sydney autumn.
As for Complacent, he will be floated down to Melbourne and have one run during the carnival.
Complacent will take to Melbourne a strong ratings profile with his latest effort assessed at 122+, well clear of the Spring Champion’s prior five year winning average.
He sits alongside 2012 Spring Champion Stakes winner It’s A Dundeel, Hotel Grand (2005) and Kinjite (1991) with the equal third highest winning figure of the event.
1992 winner Coronation Day at 125 boasts the highest rated Spring Champion Stakes performance since 1991 with Danewin’s 1994 victory yielding the champion galloper a rating of 123, three pounds shy of his master rating.
In the past five years, the Spring Champion Stakes has hosted three subsequent winners of the Victoria Derby.
Sangster in 2011 was the most recent Victoria Derby winner to come out of the Spring Champion Stakes with the Murray Baker-trained Lion Tamer running fifth in the 2010 renewal prior to a dominant six length Derby romp.
Monaco Consul after an upset Spring Champion Stakes win in 2009 saluted as second favourite in the Victoria Derby becoming just the third horse to complete the double. 
2012 Spring Champion Stakes-winner It’s A Dundeel was an unlucky seventh in the Victoria Derby behind Fiveandahalfstar.
Looking at trends out of the Spring Champion Stakes during the past five years, the Victoria Derby appears the next logical step for Complacent.
Trainer Peter Snowden has suggested though Complacent’s final run this campaign will come in either the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) on Cox Plate Day or in the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Derby Day.
Snowden is also on the record suggesting he doesn’t want to step Complacent up to the 2500m journey so early in the three-year-old's career, thus ruling out a Victoria Derby tilt.
The Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) on Saturday week is the obvious choice where Complacent will take on his own age and many of the same rivals from the Spring Champion.
The Mackinnon Stakes is a particularly intriguing option however with just two three-year-olds having contested the event during the past two decades.
One of them though was Casual Pass who won the 2003 renewal, becoming the first three-year-old to win the Mackinnon Stakes since Snowstream in 1948. 
The Mackinnon Stakes over the past ten years has been taken out by champion gallopers such as So You Think (2010), Desert War (2006) and Grand Armee (2004).
So You Think’s 2010 Mackinnon display assessed at 133+ noticeably skews the five year winning average of the event, but taking his impressive win out of play Complacent would likely sit right around an amended, more reflective average. 
With many contesting the Mackinnon Stakes as an afterthought post Cox Plate or as a tune up towards the Melbourne Cup, it’s hard to determine just what sort of field will assemble for the $750,000 event.
Although with stablemates such as San Diego and Tupac Amaru heading towards the Derby, it provides Peter Snowden with a reason to spread his arsenal out across key Group 1 features this spring.
