As Williamsburg and Rustic Steel were involved in their personal duel down the straight, it was plain sailing for the Exosphere gelding Phearson to make a winning stakes debut in Saturday’s Group III James Squire Festival Stakes at Rosehill.
Ridden by Tom Sherry for Brad Widdup, Phearson led at every call to defeat Williamsburg (Snitzel) by a half-head with Rustic Steel (Deep Field) three-quarters of a length back in third.
“he has shown a lot of promise and even though it looked like he was not going well this preparation, he has been and we just needed a bit of luck,” Widdup said.
“He is lightly raced and still learning. But has a hell of a lot of ability.”
A $6
He is the best of three winners from five to race for the Pins mare Chateau D'Yquem, a three-quarter sister to Group 1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas, and Group 1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas winner Katie Lee and a half-sister to the Group 1 BTC Cup, and Group 1 Telegraph Hcp winner Gee I Jane, Group 1 Diamond stakes winner Banchee, and Group III winner Miss Jessie Jay.
Seaton Park will be celebrating the win as they offer a Darci Brahma half-sister to Phearson at Karaka (lot 1106).
Chateau D'Yquem was covered by Staphanos (JPN) last spring.
Phearson is the ninth stakes-winner for Oaklands Sud’s Exosphere.
