Melbourne horse Derryn will return to the scene of his best performance when he runs in the Group One Canterbury Stakes at Randwick.
One of four nominations in Saturday’s 1300m-race from Lindsay Park, he will be joined by Tulip with So Si Bon and Thronum to remain in Melbourne.
Derryn has won three races including the Group Two Arrowfield Sprint at Randwick in April last year when he beat Global Glamour, another Canterbury Stakes entrant.
Senior Lindsay Park trainer David Hayes said the prospect of a rain-affected track was a factor.
“We’re looking at Derryn if it rains, and Tulip,” Hayes said.
Hayes believes the Canterbury Stakes is an easier prospect than the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m).
“I don’t want to run against Redzel,” he said.
Redzel won the $10 million Everest in October before claiming the Darley Classic at Flemington.
He was beaten by the Lindsay Park-trained Redkirk Warrior when he returned in last month’s Lightning Stakes.
Tom Melbourne has been added to the nominations Canterbury Stakes nominations after a pleasing second in a Warwick Farm barrier trial on Monday.
The seven-year-old hasn’t won since March 2016 when he took out the Albury Cup for trainers Lee and Anthony Freedman.
He was transferred to Chris Waller in Sydney and racked up six minor placings in his first preparation for Sydney’s premier trainer including three at Group One level.
Epsom Handicap winner Happy Clapper heads the nominations for his first start since his second to Tosen Stardom in the Group One Emirates (2000m) at Flemington in November.
