Jericho Cup Spot up for Grabs in NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho
13 September 2024
Saturday’s $40,000 NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho (3210m) at New Plymouth will provide an opportunity to follow in some winning footsteps towards a rich prize in Australia later this year.
This is the first of two qualifying races in New Zealand every year for the A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m), which will be run at Warrnambool on December 1. The winner of each qualifying race receives a guaranteed start in the Jericho Cup, and sponsors NZB Airfreight will offer 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.
Last year’s 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 2024 edition of New Plymouth’s Jericho Cup qualifier has drawn a talented field of 13, including last-start winners Astradeel (Dundeel), Raajoices (NZ) (Iffraaj), Amarillo Slim (NZ) (El Roca) and Irrigate (NZ) (Ocean Park).
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 six years ago.
The New Zealand influence on the Jericho Cup has quickly taken hold, with the first five winners all bred on this side of the Tasman – High Mode (NZ) (Redwood), Ablaze (NZ) (Raise the Flag), Count Zero (NZ) (Zed), Bastida (NZ) (Pierro) and Nassak Diamond.
The NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho will be run as Race 7 at New Plymouth on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 4.08pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Astradeel | 5 | South Island visitor Astradeel (Dundeel) has had 42 starts for four wins and eight placings. The seven-year-old brings strong form with him on this northern raid, with his six most recent starts producing two fourths, two thirds, a second and a last-start win at Riccarton on August 10. | ||
| 2 | King Khan | 9 | Four-race winner King Khan (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) has comfortably surpassed his $30,000 purchase price at the 2019 Ready to Run Sale, earning $97,532 so far for his owner-trainer Ken Harrison. He ran in this race last year, finishing third behind the subequent Jericho Cup heroine Nassak Diamond (NZ) (Roc de Cambes). | 2019 Ready to Run Sale | KG Harrison, $30,000 |
| 3 | In A Pickle | 7 | In A Pickle (NZ) (Preferment) was bought for just $4000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2020. His 16-start career has produced three wins, two placings and $55,400 in stakes. He won impressively in a 2100-metre Rating 75 at Te Rapa two starts ago on August 10. | Karaka 2020, Book 2 | KR Brady, $4,000 |
| 4 | Raajoices | 13 | The best-bred runner in this field, Raajoices (NZ) (Iffraaj) is a half-brother to the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Manzoice (Almanzor). He has shown some ability himself with three wins from a 24-start career to date, including a last-start victory by five and three-quarter lengths at Rotorua on August 18. | Karaka 2020, Book 1 | John Foote Bloodstock, $210,000 |
| 5 | What A Charma | 3 | What A Charma (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) has won twice in his 22-start career, including a commanding performance at this venue two starts ago on August 17. He won that 2000-metre Rating 65 event by nine and a half lengths. | 2018 May Sale | Charma Heights, $15,000 |
| 6 | Quid | 8 | Trainer Kevin Myers came close to winning the Jericho Cup with his 2022 runner-up Botti (NZ) (Jakkalberry), and he will seek qualification in 2024 with the promising Quid (NZ) (Rios). The six-year-old has had only six career starts, recording two wins, two seconds, a third and a fourth, and he appears to have plenty of upside. | ||
| 7 | Amarillo Slim | 11 | Amarillo Slim (NZ) (El Roca) is trained by Michael Farmer at Te Aroha and has had 19 starts for two wins, two placings and three fourths. He was a convincing last-start winner by three and a half lengths at Matamata on September 4. | ||
| 8 | Impaired Vision | 1 | Murray Garrett's homebred gelding Impaired Vision (NZ) (Rock 'n' Pop) has been a two-time winner from 10 starts. Both of those wins have come in the last few months, with a maiden victory at Tauranga in June being followed up by a victory over 1950 metres at Rotorua on August 18. | ||
| 9 | Irrigate | 2 | After winning only one of her first 19 starts, Irrigate (NZ) (Ocean Park) has turned a corner since her seventh birthday. Her two starts in this new season have produced a seven-length win at Hawera on August 4 and another impressive victory at the same venue on August 24. | Karaka 2019, Book 1 | Psd, Res $50,000 |
| 10 | All In Blackberry | 4 | A second runner in this field for Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers, All In Blackberry (NZ) (Jakkalberry) has had 41 starts for two wins and 10 placings. She was an emphatic winner on Awapuni's synthetic track on August 9. | ||
| 11 | Hill Of Kings | 10 | The lightly raced Hill Of Kings (NZ) (Time Test) has been a two-time winner from his 13 starts to date, and he has been close up in recent runs over 2400 metres. | ||
| 12 | Dorothy's Daughter | 12 | Dorothy's Daughter (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) is the first of two runners in this field for Wanganui-based trainer Niall Quinn. A daughter of Roc de Cambes, who sired last year's winner Nassak Diamond (NZ), the six-year-old has recorded a win and three placings from a 23-start career to date. | ||
| 13 | Steve Austin | 6 | Niall Quinn's second runner is Steve Austin (NZ) (Complacent), who has spent the majority of his career in the South Island and has had 30 starts for a win and nine placings. |