Esperance steps up to win again at Sandown

Godolphin three-year-old Esperance, ridden by Craig Williams, wins at Sandown.

Highly touted Godolphin three-year-old Esperance has remained unbeaten with a comfortable win at Sandown.

An eight-length debut winner at Echuca, Esperance made the step to midweek city grade to win Wednesday’s Sheamus Mills Bloodstock Handicap over 1200m.

Ridden by Craig Williams, Esperance was sent off an odds-on favourite before scoring a two length win over Indernile.

Such was the expectation placed on Esperance after his debut the gelding was installed the $11 equal second favourite for the Group One Caulfield Guineas on October 14.

Williams has no doubt Esperance can rise to greater heights than Wednesday’s benchmark 64 company.

He said the gelding was still learning his craft but had a motor when it counted.

“He’s not in Group company yet and he can afford to do things wrong but he’s getting experience and confidence and he can go to the next level,” Williams said.

David Charles, Melbourne representative for Godolphin’s Australian trainer James Cummings, said he was impressed with how quickly Esperance put the field away turning for home.

But Charles said the stable was in no hurry to rush the gelding to top company.

“He’s very exciting,” Charles said.

“He won impressively by eight lengths at Echuca and has stepped up to a (benchmark) 64 in town impressively today but we’ll let him come through this and then pick out a little race for him in the next four or five weeks.”

Stewards entered a protest on behalf of the connections of fifth-placed Secret Reward (Brad Rawiller) against Redcore (Damien Oliver) following interference near the 800m which they upheld after a short deliberation.