Exosphere laboured into the straight and was pulled up quickly by jockey James McDonald. Post-race scans revealed he suffered from cardiac arrhythmia, possibly due to the firm surface and his cumbersome frame. Vancouver powered to a three-quarters of a length victory and was soon sold to Godolphin rival Coolmore Stud for a reported $40 million.
Both Vancouver and Exosphere were spelled after the Slipper to focus on targets for the lucrative Spring Carnival. Exosphere began the transition from tall, ungainly teen to young man.
Vancouver returned to the races with atmospheric expectations, and a video campaign by new part-owners Coolmore declared “the champion returns”. The champion ran fourth in the San Domenico stakes behind Chris Waller’s midweek maiden-turned stakes sprinter Japonisme. Form lines were fractured and confidences grew shaken, Vancouver’s strong favouritism for the 3yo Sydney sprint feature, the Golden Rose, took a turn. Exosphere remained sheltered at Godolphin.
By the time Exosphere was ready to return to racing, Vancouver was unplaced, lacklustre in a trial and had his Spring plans changed from Golden Rose, to solely Caulfield Guineas. When news of Pride Of Dubai, the Snowden trained colt who won the Blue Diamond and Sire’s Produce Stakes had suffered a campaign-ending injury filtered through, the title for best 3yo colt was passed to Waller’s J.J Atkins winner, Press Statement.
Five horses started in the Run to the Rose, and thanks to the soft going, punters backed Exosphere, to be ridden by Sam Clipperton, into $5.50 behind Japonisme and Press Statement. Exosphere stalked his four opponents, turning into the straight last before slowly peeling to the outside past the 300m as Press Statement sprinted. When Exosphere balanced and Clipperton asked for the effort, the giant strides clocked into overdrive, and the colt won drawing away.
Exosphere was back, somehow bigger and better than his whirlwind 2yo year, and a rematch with Vancouver and Press Statement beckoned in the Golden Rose. Relaxed as always, the horse displayed what O’shea described as his “dramatic transformation from an autumn two-year-old to a spring three-year-old”.
The week before the Rose was littered with racing aficionados declaring their best bets and discussing the lack of field size for the 2015 running. Racenet, an online resource known for fierce debates in the comments section, lit up with predictions and criticisms.
As horses underwent their final strong workouts for the Rose on Tuesday, Gai Waterhouse announced Vancouver’s was en route to the paddock, and would not race until the following Autumn. As expected, Racenet exploded into a debate, and racing’s media scrambled to report on the glorious decline of the headline colt.