Nassak Diamond (NZ) Makes History in Jericho Cup

The Oaks Stud’s homebred mare Nassak Diamond (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) has raced into Jericho Cup (4600m) folklore as the first New Zealand-trained winner of the A$300,000 showpiece at Warrnambool.

The five-year-old earned her ticket into the race with a dominant victory in the $40,000 NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho (3210m) at New Plymouth in September. That race carried a ballot-free entry into the Jericho Cup, and sponsors NZB Airfreight provided a $5000 equine airfreight credit to assist with the trans-Tasman mission.

Cambridge trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray embraced that opportunity, taking Nassak Diamond to Warrnambool on Sunday and coming away with a stunning seven-length triumph.

The Kiwi raider settled just behind the early speed before taking command 800 metres from home, powering to the lead and putting her rivals to the sword. The margin kept growing and growing from there as Nassak Diamond became the easiest winner in the Jericho Cup’s six-year history.

“We were tempted to try and get her here for this race last year, but I’m pleased we didn’t,” Ritchie said. “She wasn’t quite strong enough then. But she was fantastic three starts back in the lead-up race, and she was strong enough today, wasn’t she?”

Nassak Diamond was ridden for the first time on Sunday by Campbell Rawiller, who was hugely impressed by his mount’s performance.

“She was so, so dominant,” he said. “She’s a real athlete.

“I’m so lucky – my first sit on the horse, and she’s come to the races like that. I’ll get the accolades, but she was a real sit and steer job today.”

Nassak Diamond has now had 22 starts for four wins, six placings and more than $240,000 in stakes.

New Zealand-breds have dominated the race since its inception in 2018, winning it with High Mode (NZ) (Redwood), Ablaze (NZ) (Raise The Flag), Count Zero (NZ) (Zed) and Bastida (NZ) (Pierro), but until Sunday, no New Zealand-trained horse had fared better than the Kevin Myers runner Botti (NZ) (Jakkalberry), who was runner-up in 2022.

The Jericho Cup was established to commemorate the feats of Australasia’s light horse units during World War I and is restricted to horses bred in either Australia or New Zealand.