A talented line-up of contenders for next month’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) will clash in Saturday’s A$200,000 Group 3 New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes (2000m) – a race that has special meaning to its sponsors.
Since 2011, the three-year-old fillies’ feature has carried the name of the legendary Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm).
Bred and raced by New Zealand Bloodstock principal Sir Peter Vela in partnership with his late brother Philip, Ethereal won more than $4.7 million during a career that featured four Group 1 victories – the Queensland Oaks (2400m), Caulfield Cup (2400m), Melbourne Cup (3200m) and BMW (2400m).
She won the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double in the spring of 2001, and she is still the most recent of 11 horses in history to win both famous races in the same year.
New Zealand Bloodstock is proud to sponsor the Ethereal Stakes, which has unveiled some exciting talent in recent seasons.
The 2014 winner Set Square (Reset) and 2017 winner Pinot (Pierro) each went on to win the VRC Oaks, while last year’s winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) won the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and Australian Oaks (2400m) the following autumn. The runner-up in last year’s race was Aristia (Lonhro), who won the VRC Oaks.
There was a special result in 2016 when Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi), a granddaughter of Ethereal, won the race. She later placed in the VRC Oaks.
The 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes has attracted a fascinating field of 15 fillies, all looking to establish themselves as leading chances for the Oaks at Flemington on November 7.
The New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes will be run as Race 6 on Saturday with a start time of 3:10pm (5:10pm NZT).
