IT WAS a successful and also very lucrative Saturday for the Godolphin stables and trainer John O’Shea.
Just over $1 million in prize money was claimed from five wins and two places at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Godolphin has stables at both Warwick Farm and Agnes Banks, with three of the winners coming from the Hawkesbury stable.
Calliope, Exosphere and Complacent were the winners trained in the Hawkesbury, while Ambience and Magic Hurricane are trained at Warwick Farm.
Exosphere won the Roman Consul stakes, a 1200-metre race by a significant margin.
Exosphere now has five wins from seven starts and was a clear $1.50 weekend favourite.
Chris Waller’s Japonisme was second favourite and would have paid $6.50 for the win.
Of Exosphere’s two losses, where the three year old finished last, he had problems in both the races.
Exosphere will head to Melbourne to contest the group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on Victoria Derby Day.
In the Gimcrack Stakes, a 1000-metre race, debutant galloper Calliope started as favourite and did not disappoint.
The two year old filly came home by a comfortable margin, justifying the punters’ pre-race feelings.
Calliope, who had a rough start in the race before recovering, will head for a spell.
In the group 3 Craven Plate, run over 2000-metres, it was a Godolphin double.
Complacent started the favourite and won, but only by a nose to fellow John O’Shea trained Hauraki, which is trained at Warwick Farm.
It was the fifth win of the five year old horse’s career, and he will, along with Hauraki, contest the Caufield Cup later this month.