Aethera shows class in Flemington debut

Trainer Danny O'Brien got just that when debutant Aethera took out the TAB We're On (1100m) at Flemington.

O'Brien bred the now two-year-old daughter of Shamus Award and races the filly with wife Nina and collected a handsome $82,500 in prize money with an extra $30,000 in VOBIS Silver Bonuses.

"I bred Star Turn with Antony Thompson, Stratum Star with another mate of mine, bred El Patroness and I have three or four mares that stay in Victoria that go to Shamas Award or Russian Camelot," O'Brien said.

"Victoria is a good place to breed horses with the Super VOBIS prize money.

"They don't owe you a lot by the time you get them to the races, and they can return a lot quickly if they can win early."

Ridden by Damien Thornton, Aethera ($26) scored a two-length win from Profumo ($4.20) with the $2.70 equal favourite Vega Vixen a short-half-head away third.

O'Brien said he breeds up to six horses a year and sticks to stallions that he previously trained.

"This one is by Shamus Award which is one we have bred to over a number of years, including El Patroness who won an Australian Oaks and that was the theory with this filly," O'Brien said.

"We bought another O'Reilly mare (Tralee Chorus) which is the same cross as El Patroness, and she's since had a lot of upgrades to her pedigree through Orchestral and a few other nice horses.

"She's bred to be pretty good, and Damien Thornton has been pretty positive about her.

"He's done all her jump-outs on her and said there was a pretty big motor there, but she just doesn't know how to do it yet.

"We saw a little bit late when she got out and she put that race to bed very quickly."

O'Brien said he had considered taking Aethera to the Caulfield Heath barrier trials on Thursday but decided to finalise the filly's preparation with a 'trip across the road' to Flemington.

He said coming to Flemington on Saturday was about seeing whether the filly could be a player in the spring.

However, unlike El Patroness who stretched to 2400m to win the Australian Oaks in Sydney, O'Brien doubts whether Aethera has the same stoutness.

"I don't think she has the stoutness of El Patroness as she was sharp winning over 1100 metres there, so maybe a mile may top her out, but there's plenty of other good Stakes races besides the Oaks," O'Brien said.