Exosphere's Phearson all Courage in Festival Stakes

Mark Smith - Saturday December 2

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.

Phearson all the way (image Steve Hart)

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.

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“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 $65,000 purchase for Sunninghill Park Stud from the Fernrigg Farm draft at the 2019 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Phearson advances his record to five wins, six seconds, and two thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $443,350.

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.

Phearson a $65,000 Inglis Classic yearling

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.

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Race Result - James Squire Festival Stakes Gr3 1500m

Rosehill Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:29.04
1
Phearson
- 6g Exosphere (AUS) x Chateau D'yquem (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: Tom Sherry 54
2
0.1
Williamsburg
- 4h Snitzel (AUS) x Fenway (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Tyler Schiller 53
3
0.7
Rustic Steel
- 6g Deep Field (AUS) x Ten Carat Rock (AUS) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: S Clipperton 57.5
4
1.1
Superium
- 7g Verrazano (USA) x Rosie's Halo (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Jett Stanley 53
5
1.5
Tazaral
- 6g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Tarana (IRE) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Zac Lloyd 53
6
3.3
Grebeni
- 4g Ocean Park (NZ) x Dubrovnik (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: K Mc Evoy 53
7
4.5
Dajraan
- 6h Frankel (GB) x Mossfun (AUS) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 54
8
6.7
Military Expert
- 5g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Gresset (AUS) (Hussonet (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Rachel King 53.5
9
7
Finepoint
- 5m Pins (AUS) x Zarzuela (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Regan Bayliss 54
10
9.3
Banju
- 7g Benfica (AUS) x Overlooked (AUS) (Blevic (AUS))
Tnr: Lyle Chandler Rdr: Reece Jones 55
11
10.6
Felix Majestic
- 4g Smart Missile (AUS) x Lauren's Magic (AUS) (Beneteau (AUS))
Tnr: G R Nickson Rdr: J R Collett 54
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