Who could blame Godolphin, then racing in the maroon and white of Darley, for chasing the staying classic with a horse affectionately described as "having ordinary legs and duck feet"?

But after Complacent emerged battered and bruised from the roughhouse classic two years ago – with a bit of pride needing massaging, too – the Derby curse seemed to strike again.

"When it happened, it was shocking," said Godolphin Australia boss Henry Plumptre of Complacent's injury. "It looked like it could have been career-threatening. He tore a suspensory and it was the same sort of injury as Atlantic Jewel.

"We didn't think we would get him back and, in terms of the ligament, it's completely healed, but he's had feet issues, too."

Well Complacent, who was halfway through his near two-year long rehabilitation when trainer John O'Shea took the reins at the breeding and racing giant, is well and truly back. And in style.

While stablemate Hartnell hogged the headlines all week before his return in the Chelmsford Stakes, Sam Clipperton speared $41 hope Complacent to the front of the group 2 field, including an 11-strong Chris Waller army, and left his rivals red faced in a huge boilover.

Hartnell, shadowing his stablemate's every move into the straight, laboured slightly in the closing stages to be fourth.

"I said to the boys, 'don't be negative here because you'll get behind some slow ones and the day will be a waste'," O'Shea said. "Now he's a group winner at a mile at weight-for-age and he's beaten some good horses today.

"He's a magnificent horse and hopefully we can keep him sound and I'm sure it's not the last win he will have this season."

O'Shea is hesitant to whisk Complacent out of Sydney to Melbourne given the amazing recuperative facility at Osborne Park, let alone speak too confidently about a Caulfield Cup push.

"I think the key is if he's going to run in a cup it will be a Caulfield Cup and that will do him," O'Shea said. "You've just got to give him a nice light prep and then come back here and run in BMW."

But he might have to think long and hard now after the five-year-old hard-luck story of the Warwick Stakes added a group 2 to his Spring Champion Stakes success and might give Clipperton a maiden top-level success should the right race be found.

"The group 1 is the goal and I've just got to keep my head down and keep moving forward," Clipperton said. "I've got a lot of confidence in my riding coming into the big time of year and I'm not looking too far ahead."

There were certainly no excuses for the beaten brigade given Complacent's one-and-a-quarter length margin from Kermadec, which led in Waller's mass representation from Royal Descent.  which was third.

On Hartnell, which stuck on for fourth, O'Shea said: "Every time he gets beat it's because he's been exposed. He needs some cover. He's still big and I'm still confident and happy with him, but we've just got to get him some cover."

Waller was satisfied with the run of his minor placegetters, but beaming with the effort of Junoob. which was stoked up late to finish fifth.

"I thought Kermadec was very good and he will come on with that," he said. "Royal Descent was one-paced as they sprinted and Junoob was super. He's on track for The Metropolitan and he will go to the Hill Stakes next start."