Godolphin three-year-old Esperance struck early trouble but kept his unbeaten record intact with a comfortable win at Wednesday’s Sandown meeting but the vision of the early trouble really does put you on the edge of your seat.
Esperance impressed with his eight-length debut win at Echuca on July 27 but comfortably handled the step to Benchmark 64 level in the Sheamus Mills Bloodstock Handicap (1200m).
The Bernardini gelding was a touch keen early before he was caught in an early scrimmage when Damien Oliver was attempting to cross him on the Greg Eurell-trained Redcore leading into the first turn.
The incident caused Secret Reward and The Sword to be severely hampered while apprentice Brandon Stockdale almost fell from Spirit Of Aquada after copping the backwash of the incident of which footage is below.
Check out the interference caused in Race 1. Luckily everyone emerged unscathed. pic.twitter.com/NeuyofCAf0
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 16, 2017
Esperance managed to survive severe early interference to keep his unbeaten record intact.
Jockey Craig Williams allowed Esperance to stride forward to race on the pace before the three-year-old kicked clear in the straight to score a comfortable win over Indernile while Spirit Of Aquada did a good job to pick himself up and run third.
"He's still a work in progress," Williams told Racing Victoria
"He gave me a really good feel and he's still raw and learning his craft.
"He's got a motor when it matters but he's not in group company so he can afford to do things wrong, have experience, get a win, confidence and go to the next level.
"He's surely going to get to that next level."
Godolphin's Melbourne representative David Charles said the team would let Esperance get over his Sandown effort before deciding the promising performer's next move.
"He's very exciting," Charles said.
"(Won by) eight lengths at Echuca and up to the (benchmark) 64 in town today so we'll just let him come through this race well and pick out a little race for him in the next four or five weeks and see how we go."
Williams won on Esperance at his first ride back from a holiday that began after he clinched last season's Melbourne jockeys' premiership on July 29.
Esperance records an impressive win in a messy run race. Results: https://t.co/ILlqrOV54Tpic.twitter.com/FvJy69Df1G
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 16, 2017
The highly regarded gelding had the race well under control once everything settled down.
