Relocated from Darley to Oaklands Stud in Queensland last year, Exosphere had an impressive winner at Canterbury on Thursday with his quality two year-old Spacewalk breaking through for his first win.
Fifth to Sejardan on debut in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate last spring, the Godolphin homebred chased home Cythera and Best of Bordeaux in his two runs this time in staked company and always looked a good thing dropping back to maiden class.
Despite the heavy 9 conditions, Spacewalk proved too strong for Hugh Bowman scoring by half a length over 1100m and will no doubt take confidence from the win.
Spacewalk is the second winner from Benenden, a metro winning Dubawi half-sister to the dam of stakes-winner Plague Stone, who is by Exosphere’s sire Lonhro. Third dam is Group I winner High Hawk, the dam of triple Group I winner and sire In The Wings.
Exosphere was priced modestly at $4,950 last spring for a Group I Golden Rose winning son of Lonhro and covered 55 mares at Oaklands Stud.