Ethereal (horse)
Encyclopedia
Ethereal is a New Zealand Thoroughbred
mare
who was a very successful racehorse
. She was owned and bred by brothers, Peter and Phillip Vela who own Pencarrow Stud and New Zealand Bloodstock. Ethereal was sired by the 1989 U.S. Champion 2-Yr-Old Colt and Breeders' Cup Juvenile
winner, Rhythm
(USA). Her grandsire was the very influential Champion sire
, Mr. Prospector
. Her dam was Romanee Conti, a Hong Kong Cup
winner and a daughter of leading sire, Sir Tristram
(IRE).
Trained by Sheila Laxon
, Ethereal won four Group One
races, including three of the most important staying races in Australia
, the Caulfield
and Melbourne Cup
s in 2001 and the The BMW Stakes in 2002. 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.
She was crowned Australian Champion Stayer, and unlucky to miss out on New Zealand & Australian Horse of the Year, beaten by the champion mare Sunline.
.
At stud, Ethereal has produced a Giant's Causeway
filly
named Uberalles who was third in the Group 2 Great Northern Guineas and was third in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby
. She has also produced two lesser performed colts. In 2007 Ethereal's colt by Stravinsky, sold for NZ$1,300,000 at the Karaka Premier sale in 2007.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
mare
Mare (horse)
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine.In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse age three and younger. However, in Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old; in harness racing a mare is a...
who was a very successful racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. She was owned and bred by brothers, Peter and Phillip Vela who own Pencarrow Stud and New Zealand Bloodstock. Ethereal was sired by the 1989 U.S. Champion 2-Yr-Old Colt and Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....
winner, Rhythm
Rhythm (horse)
Rhythm was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Regally bred in Kentucky, he was out of the Grade I winning mare Dance Number who was a daughter of the Champion British and American sire and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Northern Dancer. Rhythm's father was a North American Champion...
(USA). Her grandsire was the very influential Champion sire
Leading sire in North America
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
, Mr. Prospector
Mr. Prospector
Mr. Prospector was a thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Kentucky, whose descendants have been dominant in the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. He won half of his 14 career races.-Background:...
. Her dam was Romanee Conti, a Hong Kong Cup
Hong Kong Cup
The Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....
winner and a daughter of leading sire, Sir Tristram
Sir Tristram
For the Knight of the Round Table, see Tristan.For the ship of the same name see RFA Sir Tristram Sir Tristram was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who stood at stud in New Zealand, where he sired an extraordinary 45 Group One winners, including three Melbourne Cup winners...
(IRE).
Trained by Sheila Laxon
Sheila Laxon
Sheila Laxon was the first female thoroughbred horse trainer to win the Australian cups double, the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, with her mare Ethereal in 2001...
, Ethereal won four Group One
Group One
Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...
races, including three of the most important staying races in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the Caulfield
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
and Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
s in 2001 and the The BMW Stakes in 2002. 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.
She was crowned Australian Champion Stayer, and unlucky to miss out on New Zealand & Australian Horse of the Year, beaten by the champion mare Sunline.
As a broodmare
Immediately following her win in the 2002 BMW Stakes, Ethereal was retired from racing to serve as a broodmare for her owner's Pencarrow Stud at Hamilton, New ZealandHamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
.
At stud, Ethereal has produced a Giant's Causeway
Giant's Causeway
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles northeast of the town of Bushmills...
filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
named Uberalles who was third in the Group 2 Great Northern Guineas and was third in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby
New Zealand Derby
The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horserace for three-year-old, run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day of Auckland Cup Week. From 2009, it was run for a purse of $2.2...
. She has also produced two lesser performed colts. In 2007 Ethereal's colt by Stravinsky, sold for NZ$1,300,000 at the Karaka Premier sale in 2007.