Derry Grove and stable mate Rainbow Connection were due to clash in the Class 2 Plate over 1100 metres before Matt Dunn spoke with connections of  Rainbow Connection and decided to delay his return to racing.

Dunn rates Derry Grove a major hope in the Class 2 Plate but was in two minds whether Rainbow Connection would also take part.

"Rainbow Connection was well weighted under the Plate conditions and I would have loved to have started him," Dunn said.

"But, I just felt he wasn't quite ready and I would rather give him another trial."

Dunn expects a strong performance from Derry Grove who is having his first start since beating one home in a 1050 metre Class 3 race at Doomben on April 1.

"He settled well when he won a trial at Beaudesert last week," Dunn said.

"He has been missing the start and pulling hard in his races but he settled well in the trial.

"He won a maiden very well at Warwick Farm in Sydney but he has since struck a lot of problems.

"I'm expecting him to go well in this race and he'll be hard to beat."

Derry Grove – a James Orman mount – has drawn perfectly in barrier one.

The rising five-year-old is a son of Star Turn and is lightly raced having started only seven times for a win and two placings.

Dunn also has a big opinion of Rainbow Connection who could embark on a Melbourne campaign during the spring after he makes his comeback in the coming weeks.

Rainbow Connection is still a Class 2 horse and hasn't started since finishing fourth in the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm in December.

"He fell over on the way to the track for his next start after the Lough Neagh and suffered some bad injuries," Dunn said.

"He's had two trials back and is going well and if he races well there's a lot of options for him in Melbourne in the spring.

"He's very good horse but he's had some problems and has never got to where he should be."

Rainbow Connection won his first start in maiden company on the Kensington track in Sydney in March, 2021 and was placed at Listed level at his third start at Randwick that year.

He was forced to the paddock after suffering an injury when second to the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Exoboom in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas in May, 2021.

"He suffered a tendon injury after the Hawkesbury Guineas and had to have a long time off," Dunn said.

"Then after a year off he came back he flipped on the float and was hurt badly going to the races one day.

"At this stage I'm happy to just bring him along slowly but I was a little worried he wasn't quite ready for Ipswich."