Trainer John O’Shea has confirmed that Exosphere will have his next race start in the 2015 Roman Consul Stakes and will not contest the Caulfield Guineas.
Exosphere stamped himself as a genuine star with his impressive victory in the 2015 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
O’Shea said after Exosphere’s most impressive victory in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday that the Lonhro colt would have his next race start in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26, but he told Sky Racing HQ that the three-year-old will have a freshen-up before he returns to the races in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 3.
“He has done a great job so far, but whenever he does run put a lot into his races and I think three weeks to keep him a little bit fresh will do him the world of good,” O’Shea said.
“He has had two pretty strong runs in strong grade and the opportunity to just leave him at home at the farm and run him at Randwick in three weeks probably suits us and suits the horse a little bit better.
“He is such a big horse and when you speak to James he takes up a horse and a half in the run.
“A fast run Caulfield Guineas with a big field where he might have to take a position would not be ideal for him.”
Exosphere is then likely to head to Melbourne for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day and O’Shea revealed that he would be more than happy to give the star colt an opportunity at weight-for-age level against the likes of Chautauqua and Terravista in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) at the same venue a week later.
“We can go down to Flemington, run him down the straight and if the opportunity presents to possibly run him in our own race at the season at weight-for-age then I am sure that we will take it,” O’Shea said.
“Randwick and Flemington suit him, he is a valuable commodity now and we have to try and put him in scenarios to maintain or enhance that value.
“He has a blistering turn of speed as you saw on Saturday and the no weight scenario that he presents at weight-for-age will also suit him.”
Exosphere has now recorded four wins from his six race starts and has accumulated over $800,000 in prizemoney.
