The James Cummings trained Esperance was a short priced favourite for the 1200 metre Benchmark 64 event and after avoiding some interference back in the field was able to surge home and win with authority for Craig Williams.
"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."
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.
