A clear demonstration of the unswerving faith in the Darley stallions could hardly be more evident than in the latest list of Godolphin mares to visit Exosphere in 2018.
Among them are the granddam of an Epsom Derby winner and close relatives to Black Caviar, Snitzel, Hinchinbrook, Kiamichi (Sidestep) and Denman.
Exosphere’s 2018 matings followed strong books in his first two seasons, the evidence of which is expected to be seen on the racetrack this spring.
For breeders who supported the brilliant son of Lonhro in his first season, the benefit of having the market to themselves is already apparent from his first-crop sale results.
Among those was Exosphere’s top-priced yearling, a filly offered by Westbury Stud from the More Than Ready mare Twenty Angels who sold for NZ$350,000 at Karaka this year.
In Australia, Exosphere’s filly out of Casilda, a daughter of Cape Cross from the draft of Glenlogan Stud, sold for $250,000 at the Inglis Classic Sale and his filly from She Goes To Rio (Captain Rio) bred by Kingstar Farm, made $230,000.
It will be the same at next year’s sales when his second crop are offered, and again in 2021 when this year’s foals go through the ring without any competition from the elite, home-bred Godolphin yearlings.
That group includes a foal from Arctic Drift, the dam of Australian Stakes winner Believe’n’Succeed (Exceed And Excel), the dam of this year’s Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck.
Believe ‘N’ Succeed is also the dam of Bounding (Lonhro), the champion sprinter in New Zealand in 2013-14 and a Stakes winner in Australia.
Among the other home-breds who will remain away from the competition of the sale ring will be Exosphere’s foal from Viennese, a sister to the champion sire Snitzel and a half-sister to Hinchinbrook.
Also bound to stay at home will be Exosphere’s foal from Shaumari (Medaglia d’Oro) a great-granddaughter of Godolphin’s outstanding producer Peach the dam of G1 winner and former Darley stallion Denman and of Ouachita, the mother of Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi.
