Beaten T J Smith Stakes favourite Exosphere is still a chance to have another Autumn Carnival start in the Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 16.
Exosphere is still a chance to run in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Exopshere has been beaten at short odds at both his runs this campaign when fourth as the $3.10 second favourite to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on February 20 and then was a well beaten eleventh as the $3.10 top pick to the Team Hawkes trained sprinter again in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 2.
The John O’Shea trained colt featured extensively in the Stewards’ report following his disappointing run in the T J Smith Stakes and was found to be lame in the off foreleg.
O’Shea has subsequently reported back to the Racing New South Wales Stewards that Exosphere would undergo further tests and the stable was thinking of running him in the All Aged Stakes if he came through a searching gallop next Wednesday.
“Exosphere was subjected to a full veterinary examination including x-rays and scans, however no lameness could be detected upon return back to the stable,” the Stewards’ report said.
“Mr O’Shea advised it was now the intention to conduct a dynamic endoscopic examination on Friday, 8 April 2016 and should this examination be satisfactory, it is the intention to gallop Exosphere next Wednesday, 13 April 2016 with a view then to starting in the All Age Stakes.”
Stewards also advised O’Shea that a complete veterinary certificate would have to be submitted before Exosphere was allowed to start again.
Exosphere proved to be one of the stars of the 2015 Autumn Carnival in his two year old season when he carried the Godolphin royal blue colours to victory in the Group 2 $175,000 Pro-Ride Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
The Lonhro colt was then sent out as one of the top fancies in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill before finishing at the tail of the sixteen horse field.
Exosphere then resumed in the Spring to score a first up win in the Group 2 $175,000 MTA NSW The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill before going to win the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill.
The classy colt then went on to make it a hat trick of wins when he easily beat the field in the Group 2 $300,000 Canterbury BMW Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
But Exosphere’s winning run came to an end when, as an odds on favourite, he missed a place when fourth to the Chris Waller trained Japonisme in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Exosphere is the winner of five of his ten race starts with over $1 million in prizemoney to his credit.
