Archie Alexander’s progressive Pierro filly Gamay has firmed into 2019 VRC Oaks betting favouritism after her tough win on Caulfield Cup Day in the Group 3 $200,000 Ethereal Stakes (2000m).

Gamay has firmed in 2019 VRC Oaks betting after a gutsy Ethereal Stakes win on Caulfield Cup Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The well-bred daughter of the 2012 Golden Slipper winner celebrated her second career victory from five starts improving on a last start second at Flemington from late September to dig deep and hold off the challengers in the 2019 Ethereal Stakes results.

Irish jockey Declan Bates continued his lovely association with the bonny filly and his meteoric rise this spring following his breakthrough Group 1 success in the Ladbrokes Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes aboard Begood Toya Mother last month.

“It was (a strong win). She’s a very straightforward filly to ride. She was strong to the line so it was a very good win,” Bates said of Gamay.

“I just wanted to take a sit to have something to take me into it.

“I always travelled like the winner and she found plenty under pressure.”

Bates gradually worked towards the lead in the Ethereal Stakes aboard Gamay before settling just off the improving pace behind her last start conqueror Celestial Falls.

Celestial Falls went for home at the turn with roughie hope Ocean Miss moving up to her once on the straight.

Gamay made a line of three heading towards the line, while the Mark Kavanagh-trained favourite Vegas Jewel – a daughter of her trainer’s 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking – started with her run.

Previously undefeated heading into the Ethereal Stakes, Vegas Jewel was roused up by her hoop Jordan Childs from a worse-than-midfield position around the turn.

Digging deep and really coming for them with 100m to travel, Vegas Jewel ($3.50) just couldn’t get there but lost few admirers crossing only a neck back second to Gamay ($7) after covering a lot of ground and doing all the work around the corner.

Pacemaker Celestial Falls ($4.80) meanwhile held for third under one and a half lengths off the winner to round out the Ethereal Stakes trifecta.

There was lots to like about the Cup Day win by Gamay who looked like she was going to get beaten before she dug in and pricked one of her ears showing she likely had more to give heading towards the Group 1 $1 million Kennedy Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7.

“She’s always been a really nice filly. Back in February, before she had even had a start, Archie said to me ‘I reckon she’s an Oaks filly’,” Alexander’s stable representative Jeremy Rogers said.

“So that’s the path she has been on all along.

“Today was a bit of a fork in the road.

“At Flemington recently she went super and had no luck.

“We thought that if she ran top four today, we should push on towards the Oaks.”

Pinot (2017) was the last filly to complete the Ethereal Stakes – VRC Oaks double that Gamay has firmed into $7 equal favourite with Vegas Jewel to win through Ladbrokes.com.au.

Pre-Ethereal Stakes Gamy was at $15 in the all-in VRC Oaks 2019 odds, while Vegas Jewel was a $12 chance.

Click here for the latest 2019 Kennedy VRC Oaks betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2019 Ethereal Stakes Results & Finishing Order