One to Watch – Echuca

Tara Madgwick - Thursday July 27

It was only a juvenile maiden at Echuca, but this Godolphin homebred gapped them by eight lengths and ran more than a second and a half faster than the two other maiden races at the same trip.

Prepared by James Cummings, two year-old Bernardini (USA) gelding Esperance stalked the leader and shot away down the running to win the 1100 metre scamper as he pleased.

While the other two maiden races run over this distance were juvenile maidens, this one was also for older horses and Esperance gave them a galloping lesson.

Esperance is a half-brother to Group II winner Obsequious and is the third winner from Commands mare Sycophant, who was on-sold by Darley at the 2015 Inglis Broodmare Sale for $30,000.

Darley shuttler Bernardini (USA) has had sporadic success in Australia with multiple Group I winner Boban his best local representative.

Bernardini did not shuttle to Darley last spring and his final small crop of foals will be yearlings of 2018.

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