Fillies Set to Clash in Special Caulfield Feature
17 October 2018
New Zealand Bloodstock takes special pride in sponsoring Saturday’s A$150,000 Group 3 New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
The three-year-old fillies’ race is named in honour of the legendary Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm), bred and raced by New Zealand Bloodstock principal Sir Peter Vela and his late brother Philip.
Carrying the Vela brothers’ famous blue and white hoops, Ethereal won eight races including four at Group 1 level. She earned more than $6 million in prizemoney.
The Ethereal Stakes is run on the same day as the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), which Ethereal won in 2001. The following month she added the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). She was the 11th horse to win both famous races in the same spring, a feat that hasn’t been done again since.
A three-year-old fillies’ race that was first run in 2013, the Ethereal Stakes produced a special result in 2016 when it was won by Ethereal’s granddaughter Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi), who was bred by Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow Thoroughbreds.
Two horses – Set Square (Reset) in 2014 and Pinot (Pierro) last year – have won the Ethereal Stakes and gone on to win the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington.
This year’s field features one of the early favourites for the Oaks, Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed), who won two of her three starts in New Zealand before being sold into majority Australian ownership. In her first start for champion trainer Darren Weir, she was a fast-finishing third in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m).
Greysful Glamour (Stratum) is also a strong Oaks contender after impressively winning the VRC Oaks Trial (1800m) at Flemington late last month.
The Ethereal Stakes will be run as Race 5 on Saturday with a start time of 2.35pm (4.35pm NZ time).
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Futooh | 3 | A stakes winner last season in the China Horse Club Mile, Futooh (Sebring) placed in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) first-up before finishing outside the placings in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m). | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Damien Oliver |
| 2 | Greysful Glamour | 7 | After a Group 3 placing at Newcastle last month, Greysful Glamour (Stratum) won the VRC Oaks Trial (1800m) at Flemington. Pinot (Pierro) won the same race last year, then added the Ethereal Stakes and the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m). | Mark Newnham | Tim Clark |
| 3 | Aristia | 1 | While she is still a maiden after eight starts, Aristia (Lonhro) has placed in four of those including the Group 3 National Stakes (1200m). | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Damian Lane |
| 4 | Sizzleme | 6 | Stakes-placed last season behind the subsequent Caulfield Guineas placegetter Vassilator (NZ) (Zacinto), the Sizzling filly Sizzleme scored a five-length maiden win two starts back. She was a last-start fourth in the Oaks Trial. | Cindy Alderson | Ben Melham |
| 5 | Scenic Sight | 9 | Scenic Sight (Nicconi) has yet to finish further back than fourth in five career starts, including two wins. This is her first attempt at stakes level. | Darren Weir | Ben Allen |
| 6 | Verry Elleegant | 2 | Bred, part-owned and formerly trained in New Zealand, Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) won two of her three starts in her homeland before being sold to Australia. She made a strong first impression in her first start on that side of the Tasman, making up good late ground for third in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m). | Darren Weir | John Allen |
| 7 | Rubira | 14 | A stakes winner in New Zealand last season, Rubira (Lope de Vega) hasn't had all favours in finishing 12th and seventh in two stakes starts in Melbourne this spring. Her trainers won this race with Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi) two years ago. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | James McDonald |
| 8 | Yulong Meteor | 13 | A stylish maiden winner in August, Yulong Meteor (Medaglia d'Oro) has placed in both subsequent starts behind race rivals Sizzleme and Greysful Glamour. | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Michael Walker |
| 9 | Dark Confidant | 16 | Dark Confidant (Pierro) made an impressive start to her spring campaign with a win and two placings, then finished eighth in the Edward Manifold Stakes. | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Regan Bayliss |
| 10 | Pressure | 12 | New Zealand-bred Pressure (NZ) (Jakkalberry) has had four starts for a win and three placings, including a last-start third in the Oaks Trial. | Matt Cumani | Dwayne Dunn |
| 11 | Gregorian Chant | 15 | Another Kiwi-bred filly, Gregorian Chant (NZ) (Echoes of Heaven) won at Bendigo last season but has finished outside the placings in two spring starts. | Mitchell Freedman | Jordan Childs |
| 12 | Oregon Dreamer | 4 | Karaka graduate Oregon Dreamer (NZ) (Cape Blanco) won a maiden race by seven lengths earlier in the spring. She was 10th in the Edward Manifold Stakes last start. | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Luke Nolen |
| 13 | True Magic | 10 | True Magic (Pierro) has had only two starts, winning on debut at Bairnsdale before finishing second at Ballarat. | Henry Dwyer | Beau Mertens |
| 14 | Peaceful Solution | 8 | Declaration of War filly Peaceful Solution showed promise last season, but has been unplaced in three starts in her current campaign. | Robert Kingston | Jack Martin |
| 15 | Disenchanted | 17 | Disenchanted (Smart Missile) won by six lengths at Tatura two starts back, then finished 12th in the Edward Manifold Stakes. | Brent Stanley | Noel Callow |
| 16 | Collectable | 18 | Sebring filly Collectable has had three starts for three second placings, all at Geelong. | Robbie Griffiths | Craig Williams |
| 17 | Scamper | 5 | After finishing fourth on debut in early September, Scamper (Fastnet Rock) has finished second in both of her subsequent appearances. | Leon & Troy Corstens | Stephen Baster |
| 18 | Exclusively Ours | 11 | A third placing at Kilmore in September is the best result in the seven-start career of Exclusively Ours (Needs Further), but she was a good last-start fifth in the Listed UCI Stakes (1800m). | Matthew Brown | Ben Thompson |