Just a month after he won a provincial maiden at Hawkesbury, Complacent has stepped up at Randwick to give the Darley team a Group One win in the Spring Champion Stakes.

A son of English Derby winner Authorized, Complacent belied his inexperience under strong riding from Christian Reith to easily handle the 2000 metres at just his fifth start.

Given the run of the race by Reith, Complacent ($5.50) took the lead coming over the famous rise and raced clear, holding Criterion ($12) by 1-1/4 lengths with a half head to the favourite Savvy Nature ($3.20).

Head trainer Peter Snowden watched the race from Caulfield in Melbourne and was more than happy with what he saw.

"To think he won a maiden at Hawkesbury only two starts ago," Snowden said.

"It's been a tremendous effort. He's a talented horse. He got a gun run, good ride and it was a very pleasing effort."

Snowden said he would let the dust settle before he decided whether to push the colt towards the Victoria Derby in three weeks.

"I think you've got to let the horse tell you what to do," he said.

"He'll make a lovely autumn three-year-old but Group Ones are great to win and the (Victoria) Derby is just around the corner.

"It's a big call (whether to go to the Derby) but no doubt the horse will tell us.

"We'll just soak up today. It's a great result."

It was more than a great result for Reith who notched his first Group One win on Nechita in the Coolmore Stud Stakes last spring for Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm.

"This one tops that for sure," Reith said.

"I put in a lot of hours with the stable and it's great to be a part of it.

"Peter offered me the choice of the two runners - Complacent and Shikra - and I really wanted to ride this fellow.

"He will improve again and has a lot of upside."

Reith replaced Darley's No.1 rider Kerrin McEvoy who was riding in Melbourne while Josh Parr was aboard Shikra who finished last of the 14 runners.

While Snowden was non-committal about the Victoria Derby, Criterion's trainer David Payne was equivocal it was the target for his colt.

"He will go to the Derby. I don't think he will have another run before then, he doesn't need it," Payne said.

"We've always thought he would get over ground."

Savvy Nature's third means Jim Cassidy will have to wait another week to notch what is turning out to be an elusive 100th Group One win.

"The winner box-seated and we were six off them," Cassidy said.

"He struggled to truck into it but overall I thought his run was good."

Trainer John O'Shea said the plan was to go to Moonee Valley for the Vase on October with a view to the Derby.