With the 2017 Melbourne Cup just around the corner, a daughter of Pencarrow’s Cup-winning champion Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm) scored a timely win in Saturday’s $22,500 Rural Fuel Handicap (1550m) at Awapuni.

Ethereal won the Melbourne Cup in 2001, the last horse to win the famous Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double in the same spring. She also scored Group 1 victories in the Queensland Oaks and BMW, earning more than $6 million in prize-money.

The great mare has produced seven foals to race, six winners including the stakes performers Uberalles (NZ) (Giant’s Causeway), Duquesa (NZ) (Encosta De Lago) and Imperium (NZ) (Encosta De Lago), along with the unraced Sopra Tutto (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy) – dam of multiple stakes winner Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi).

Seraphim went into Saturday’s race with one win and six placings from her 10 starts, but took a big step forward with a dominant performance. Ridden by Danielle Johnson for trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritche, she burst out of midfield and raced away to win by three and a half lengths.

“It’s that time of year, with Melbourne Cup day on Tuesday, so it’s pretty special to be winning today,” Ramsay said.

“We’d love to pick up some black type with this mare for Sir Peter Vela (owner-breeder), so that’s what we’ll be trying to do.”