Myers Secures Another Jericho Cup Ticket

Kevin Myers has won Riccarton’s NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho (3000m) for the second time, securing himself another ballot-free entry for the A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) along with a $5,000 equine airfreight credit from sponsors NZB Airfreight.

Myers won the Christchurch qualifier for the Jericho Cup in 2022 with Botti (NZ) (Jakkalberry), who went on to finish second in the Jericho Cup at Warrnambool a month later. Saturday’s victory at Riccarton with Just Charlie (NZ) (Zed) has earned the respected horseman an opportunity to try to go one better.

The lightly raced Just Charlie went into Saturday’s $50,000 race as the winner of two of his 12 starts, most recently an emphatic last-start victory in Rating 65 company at Waverley on October 20. He took a big step up in class less than a week later and rose to the occasion with a career-best performance.

Just Charlie speared forward to take the lead within the first 100 metres of the race, and he remained in that position from that point on.

There was a brief scare coming to the home turn as Noble Knight (NZ) (Ghibellines) loomed on the outside and lodged a strong challenge, but Just Charlie saw him coming and lifted again. Just Charlie surged ahead of that rival through the final 300 metres of the race, opening up a winning margin of four and a quarter lengths.

Just Charlie was ridden by Tina Comignaghi, who was also in the saddle for Botti’s victory in the same race two years ago.

A trip to Warrnambool for the Jericho Cup on December 1 would be a return to familiar territory for Just Charlie’s owner-breeders Mike and Roz Southey. They also co-bred and part-owned the former Myers runner Zed Em (NZ) (Zed), whose 17 career victories included Warrnambool’s A$350,000 Grand Annual Chase (5500m), A$125,000 Brierly Chase (3450m) and A$100,000 Thackeray Chase (3450m).

Saturday’s Road to Jericho at Riccarton was the second Jericho Cup qualifying race run in New Zealand this spring. The first was at Waverley on September 25 and was won by Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose).