“The target was the Hong Kong Cup run in December.
“Ethereal’s mother Romanee Conti had won the same race and the owners (Sir Peter and Phillip Vela) were keen to follow the same path.
“But while she was entered there was no guarantee she would be invited. Her mother wasn’t invited the year after she won so how would it be for Ethereal?
“I had suggested she was still entered in the Melbourne Cup and maybe we should consider running her,” explained the former Welsh-come-Kiwi-come-pseudo Aussie.
“I gave her the day off after the Caulfield Cup … worked her on the Monday and was that pleased with how she pulled up, I suggested we keep going onto Flemington for the Melbourne Cup."
“It got a bit tense with connections as everyone had a view as to what she should be doing next. “There were options … but lots of talk as to which was the right one.
“I always had confidence in Ethereal, but thinking she could win the Melbourne Cup, was another thing,” Laxon added.
In doing so, Ethereal became the eleventh horse to complete the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double.
For the record the following have completed the double:
Poseidon (1906); The Trump (1937); Rivette (1939); Rising Fast (1954), Even Stevens (1962): Galilee (1966); Gurner’s Lane (1982); Let’s Elope (1991); Doriemus (1995); Might and Power (1997); Ethereal (2001) and Without A Fight (2023)
