Capacity Field for NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho at New Plymouth
11 September 2025
NZB Airfreight is proud to help make Kiwis’ Jericho Cup (4600m) dream a reality with two golden tickets into the A$300,000 race.
The first of those annual qualifiers, the $40,000 NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho (3210m), will be run at New Plymouth this Saturday. Riccarton will host the second qualifier on October 25.
The winner of each qualifying race receives a guaranteed start in the Jericho Cup at Warrnambool on November 30, and NZB Airfreight offers a $5,000 equine airfreight credit for the winner of each qualifying race, should they decide to travel across the Tasman and contest the Jericho Cup.
Two years ago, the New Plymouth qualifier was emphatically won by Nassak Diamond (NZ) (Roc de Cambes), who went on to become the first New Zealand-trained winner of the Jericho Cup. She romped to a runaway seven-length victory in the Warrnambool feature for owner-breeders The Oaks Stud and trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray.
The Jericho Cup was inaugurated in 2018 and is open to Australian and New Zealand-bred horses only, commemorating the light horse involvement in World War I and run on the fourth Sunday after the Group One Melbourne Cup (3200m). The original Jericho Cup was run in 1918 over three miles through desert sands. Its 100th anniversary was marked with the introduction of the modern Jericho Cup seven years ago.
The New Zealand influence on the Jericho Cup has quickly taken hold, with six of the first seven winners bred on this side of the Tasman – High Mode (NZ) (Redwood), Ablaze (NZ) (Raise the Flag), Count Zero (NZ) (Zed), Bastida (NZ) (Pierro), Nassak Diamond and last year’s winner Farag (NZ) (Sacred Falls).
A full field of 14 plus four emergencies will vie for that coveted Jericho Cup spot at New Plymouth on Saturday. The NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho will be run as Race 7 with a scheduled start time of 4.08pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke Of Plumpton | 5 | Veteran gelding Duke Of Plumpton (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) has vastly exceeded the $15,000 that part-owner Kevin Myers paid to buy him from the 2017 Festival Sale at Karaka. His 54-start career has produced nine wins, 14 placings and $276,873 in stakes, which is almost 20 times his purchase price. Seven of his wins have come on the flat, with another two over hurdles. | 2017 Festival Sale | KT Myers, $15,000 |
| 2 | King Khan | 1 | This will be the third shot at the NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho for King Khan (NZ) (Mongolian Khan). He ran third behind Nassak Diamond (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) two years ago, then finished fifth in last year's edition, which was relocated to Waverley and run over 3200 metres. King Khan cost $30,000 at the 2019 Ready to Run Sale and has earned $140,142 from a 49-race, five-win career. | 2019 Ready to Run Sale | KG Harrison, $30,000 |
| 3 | Fourty Eight | 3 | The first of two runners in the race for Shaun and Hazel Fannin and micro-share syndicators the Frac Club, Fourty Eight (NZ) (Ekraar) has won six of his 22 starts and $88,840. He is a four-time winner from 16 starts on the flat and has also recorded one win each in hurdle and steeplechase races. He was a last-start third in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4300m). | ||
| 4 | Jesko | 8 | The Fannin stable and the Frac Club also team up with Jesko (NZ) (Atlante), who has been one of the finds of the jumping season. He put together consecutive victories in the Dr John D. Moore Memorial Steeplechase (3800m), Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m), Wellington Steeplechase (4900m) and Koral Steeplechase (4250m), then ran second in the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m). He has had a total of eight wins from 25 starts, earning $239,750. He has won three times on the flat and four times from five steeplechase starts. | ||
| 5 | Quid | 6 | Quid (NZ) (Rios) was a fourth placegetter in this race at Waverley last year. His 16-start career has produced four wins, seven placings and $112,430 in stakes. He has won three times on the flat, while six starts over hurdles have produced a win and five placings. | ||
| 6 | Yolo | 16 | A half-sister to the Trotter family's champion jumper Kick Back (NZ) (Bahhare), the Zed mare Yolo (NZ) has forged a successful career of her own with six wins and 12 placings from 45 starts. She has earned $166,710. She won impressively in a 2100-metre Rating 75 at Otaki last Saturday. | ||
| 7 | Yellow Jersey | 4 | $30,000 South Island Sale purchase Yellow Jersey (NZ) (Zacinto) has banked $137,555 from a 34-race career that has produced four wins, six seconds and four thirds. He was a last-start hurdle placegetter over a similar distance to Saturday's race. | 2020 South Island Sale | Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, $30,000 |
| 8 | Billy Boy | 12 | Wanganui trainer Jo Rathbone won this race last year with Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), and she will be represented this time around by Yellow Jersey and Billy Boy (So You Think). The latter has been a highly impressive performer in hurdling ranks this winter, stringing together three wins in a row including the Manawatu Hurdles (2500m) and Wellington Hurdle (3200m). | ||
| 9 | Piper's Son | 10 | Stratford gelding Piper's Son (NZ) (Complacent) has had 24 starts for two wins and four placings, earning $52,960. He had a career-best victory in the $45,000 Raukawa Cup (2100m) at Otaki in June, beating an open-class field despite going into the race with a rating of only 56. | ||
| 10 | Roc Up Ralph | 14 | Roc Up Ralph (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) heads into this race in career-best form, having won or placed in all of his last six starts. His 24-start career has produced three wins and 10 placings overall for earnings of $90,080. He is also nominated for the Group Three New Zealand Cup (3200m) in November. | ||
| 11 | The Finnster | 13 | Foxton's The Finnster (NZ) (Vadamos) comes into this race as a last-start winner at Wanganui. He opened up a huge lead mid-race in that Rating 65 event on August 30 before holding on bravely to win in a photo finish. Overall, he has had 41 starts for four wins, nine placings and $96,055. | ||
| 12 | Paradis | 17 | Paradis (NZ) (Complacent) was bought for just $1,500 from the 2021 National Online Yearling Sale. She has had 12 starts for a win, three placings and $23,245. | 2021 National Online Yearling Sale | FW Pratt, $1,500 |
| 13 | Madam Zara | 7 | Last-start winner Madam Zara (NZ) (Zed) has had a total of 18 starts for three wins, a placing and $45,185. She produced an impressive last-to-first performance in Rating 60 company at Hawera on August 23, beating subsequent winner and race rival The Finnster (NZ) (Vadamos). | ||
| 14 | Pointer | 15 | Pointer (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) is a full-sister to the multiple Group One winner Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle). In her own racetrack career, Pointer has had 19 starts for a win, two placings and $24,860. | Karaka 2022, Book 1 | Psd, Res $200,000 |
| 15 | Saint Bernard | 11 | Saint Bernard (NZ) (Dial A Prayer) has been a two-time winner and four-time placegetter from a 20-race career. He was a last-start second placegetter in a steeplechase at Woodville. | ||
| 16 | Endean Ace | 9 | Tarzino gelding Endean Ace (NZ) has recorded a win and three placings from a 17-race career to date. He has recorded multiple placings over 2400 metres. | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | Psd, Res $20,000 |
| 17 | Janka | 2 | Janka (NZ) (Redwood) is still a maiden but has shown some promise over staying trips, including a second over 2200 metres at Te Aroha in June. | ||
| 18 | Pick Of The Litter | 18 | Pick Of The Litter (NZ) (Vadamos) has had 28 starts for three wins, five placings and $81,830. She has won over distances ranging up to 2400 metres. |