The Kiwi mare crushed the opposition in the big 2001 Cups and left a lasting legacy

The legacy of Ethereal, the renowned champion with the huge personality from the 2001 big Cups continues to flourish over two decades later. The big mare resided at Pencarrow Stud in the Waikato region, where she was born, raised, and eventually retired. She stands as the cornerstone of a highly successful breeding empire meticulously cultivated by the esteemed Vela family. Ethereal is a bay mare owned and bred by brothers Peter and Phillip Vela, who own Pencarrow and New Zealand Bloodstock. Ethereal was sired by the 1998 U.S. Champion 2YO Colt and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, Rhythm (USA). Her grandsire was the very influential Champion sire Mr. Prospector, and her dam was million dollar earner, Romanee Conti, a stunning Hong Kong Cup winner and a daughter of leading sire Sir Tristram. The mare was royally bred and would display her pedigree as a staying supremo. Ethereal was trained during her racing career by Sheila Laxon, a former amateur jumps jockey before being injured in a race fall. While recovering, Sheila gained her training licence in 1999 and took over husband, Laurie Laxon's team of horses. Laurie had trained the 1988 winner of the Melbourne Cup, Empire Rose.

Through 2001, Ethereal executed one of the greatest seasons in the recent history of Australian racing by a stayer. Ethereal won four Group One races, including three of the most important staying races in Australia, the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. An international campaign was considered to possibly include the Arc de Triomphe, but was abandoned due to the tough racing she had endured the previous season. Her career started slowly with a 2nd to Conquistar at Avondale over 1400m. After a break Ethereal resumed and won three on the trot at Pukekohe and two at Hastings.

After winning her first three from four starts in New Zealand, Ethereal went straight to the Listed Doomben Rose's (2020m) which she duly won, then saluted in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2400m). The three-year-old filly returned to NZ and the team set their eyes on the prestigious 2001 Victorian cup races. On her return to Australia in early spring (October), a very fit Ethereal ran third to Northerly in the Gr.1 Yalumba Stakes (now Caulfield Stakes). By this stage the horse was suitably match hardened for a stayer and went on to win the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) carrying only 50kg and getting in by a nose to the talented Sky Heights. Laxon claims the mare was only half-fit for her Caulfield Cup tilt, weighing in at 452kg. At Macedon Lodge in the weeks following, the trainer was able to give her plenty of hill work, after which Ethereal was 474kg for her Melbourne Cup bid and rock hard fit to face the grueling two miles.

The mighty mare then proved victorious in the $4 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup with Scott Seamer aboard, carrying only 52kg. Ethereal powered home down the middle of the Flemington straight over the 3200m and dealt to a field that included Marienbard who won the Arc the following year. The next three home were all GB bred raiders, Give The Slip, Persian Punch and Karasi. Before Ethereal, the last horse to win the Melbourne/Caulfield Cup double was Might And Power, and before that, horses like Doriemus, Let’s Elope and Gurner’s Lane. In fact, in 143 years since the genesis of the Caulfield Cup, only 12 horses have managed the Cups double, and only three of those have been mares.

After a well deserved rest at home, the now famous, all conquering mare resumed in the Waikato Sprint at Te Rapa over 1400m and performed admirably in a race won by the brilliant Sunline. Ethereal ran 5th in both the St George Stakes (1800m) and Australian Cup (2000m) on her 2002 return across the Tasman, before winning her final race in the Gr.1 BMW Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill in March, a distance that was right up her alley. The mare was then gracefully retired to serve as a broodmare after a short but esteemed racing career.

Ethereal’s Melbourne Cup win made Sheila Laxon the first female to ever train a Cup winner and, since then, there’s been only Gai Waterhouse with Fiorente in 2013.Another New Zealand woman, Maree Lyndon, made Cup history in 1987 by becoming the first woman to ride in the race, on Argonaut Style 28 years before Michelle Payne became the first woman to ride the winner in 2015. Laxon made the move to the Queensland Sunshine Coast in 2016 and started a training operation in partnership with John Symon. She currently has the very promising Knight's Choice in her care who won the Gr.3 Winx Guineas. Ethereal’s progeny have performed well, with six foals produced. Ethereal was named Australian Champion Stayer, but was beaten to the title of New Zealand & Australian Horse of the Year by the champion mare Sunline.

RACE RECORD - 21: 8-1-3

EARNINGS - A$4,762,135

Doomben Roses (2001)

Queensland Oaks (2001)

Caulfield Cup (2001)

Melbourne Cup (2001)

The BMW Stakes (2002)