New Plymouth Hosts First NZB Airfreight Jericho Cup Heat
24 September 2020
The A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) is an increasingly popular event on the Australasian racing calendar, and NZB Airfreight is proud to play its part in getting kiwis to the starting gates at Warrnambool.
Saturday’s New Plymouth meeting features the $32,500 NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho Heat 1 (3210m). It is the first of two qualifying heats staged in New Zealand, with the second heat to be held at Riccarton Park on Saturday 24 October. The winner of each race receives a guaranteed start in the Jericho Cup.
As 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.
The Jericho Cup 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 two years ago.
This year marks the first year that New Zealand will have two guaranteed starters for the Jericho Cup, which will be held on Sunday 29 November 2020 at Warrnambool.
Last year Aigne (NZ) (Sufficient) qualified for the Jericho Cup by winning the Road to Jericho at New Plymouth. The gelding went on to run sixth in the Jericho Cup.
Aigne is back again this year, headlining a talented field of stayers for the New Plymouth qualifier on Saturday. The line-up also features the likes of Verry Flash (NZ) (Zed), El Luchador (NZ) (El Hermano), Gallante (Montjeu), Trisha Lea (NZ) (Zed) and Excalibur (NZ) (Tavistock).
The NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho will be run as Race 8 at New Plymouth on Saturday with a start time of 4:05pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Verry Flash | 8 | A full-brother to the four-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed), Verry Flash (NZ) (Zed) has fashioned a successful racing career of his own. He has won seven races and more than $143,000 in stakes. In his only previous attempt over this sort of distance, he finished a respectable eighth in last year's Group One Auckland Cup (3200m). | Nicholas Bishara | Johnathan Parkes |
| 2 | El Luchador | 16 | Tough winter galloper El Luchador (NZ) (El Hermano) has earned more than $120,000 in his 33-start, six-win career. His career highlights include victories in the Kiwifruit Cup (2100m) and Parliamentary Handicap (2200m). | Mark Brooks | Chad Ormsby |
| 3 | Gallante | 13 | Gallante (Montjeu) is a Group One winner in both hemispheres, capturing the Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) and the Sydney Cup (3200m). More recently, he has shown good ability over hurdles with two wins and two placings in that role. | Team Rogerson | |
| 4 | Trisha Lea | 5 | From 47 starts, Trisha Lea (NZ) (Zed) has collected 10 wins, eight placings and more than $191,000 in prize-money. She is another runner who has made a successful transition to hurdling, winning three times in seven jumping starts. | Kylie Little | Trudy Thornton |
| 5 | Aigne | 3 | Aigne (NZ) (Sufficient) won this race last year and is back to defend his crown. He went on to run sixth in last year's Jericho Cup (4600m). The versatile galloper has won all of his last three starts, including the Parliamentary Handicap (2100m) and the Awapuni Hurdles (2900m). | Kevin Myers | Sam O'Malley |
| 6 | Excalibur | 20 | While he has struggled to find top form in recent times, there is no doubting the quality of Excalibur (NZ) (Tavistock). The seven-year-old has won seven of his 41 starts, placing in another five and earning more than $164,000 for his owners. He was a black-type placegetter with a barnstorming finish for second in the Listed Karaka Classic (1600m) in September 2018. Excalibur was bought for $22,000 at the 2015 Festival Sale and $150,000 at the Ready to Run Sale later that year. | Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray | |
| 7 | Hi I'm Nikkita | 1 | Bought for only $5,000 at the 2017 Festival Sale, Hi I'm Nikkita (NZ) (He's Remarkable) has had 24 starts for four wins, 10 placings and more than $90,000 in stakes. In seven previous starts at this venue, she has collected one win and five placings. | Gary McBeth | Hazel Schofer |
| 8 | The Poormanzabeel | 14 | Zed gelding The Poormanzabeel (NZ) was a $1,500 purchase at the 2015 National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale. He has won five races and more than $60,000, including a pair of promising placings over hurdles in recent starts. | Craig and Shaun Phelan | Leah Hemi |
| 9 | Junior | 4 | Lightly raced six-year-old Junior (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) is putting together a good record, with 17 starts for three wins, six placings and more than $50,000 in stakes. His last start was his most significant win, scoring a determined victory in the Kiwifruit Cup (2100m). | Craig and Shaun Phelan | Chelsea Burdan |
| 10 | Mondorani | 6 | Mondorani (NZ) (Burgundy) has been an admirably consistent performer with two wins, eight placings, two fourths and three fifths from 17 starts to date. | Kevin Myers | Kozzi Asano |
| 11 | Master Fin | 19 | Three-race winner Master Fin (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) brings a strong run of placed form into this race, having finished second or third in all of his last three appearances. | Mark Oulaghan | |
| 12 | Youwantmore | 17 | Youwantmore (NZ) (Sufficient) has been a strong performer over a number of years, recording nine wins and 16 placings from 65 starts. The eight-year-old mare has earned more than $180,000 in stakes. | Robert Priscott | Rosie Myers |
| 13 | Rocking Good Time | 15 | $8,000 Festival Sale purchase Rocking Good Time (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) has had three wins and six placings from 31 starts. | Ralph Manning | Tegan Newman |
| 14 | Zac Brown | 9 | Zed gelding Zac Brown (NZ) has won two of his 41 starts, placing on another 13 occasions. | Stephen Nickalls | Temyia Taiaroa |
| 15 | Maestro Blu | 11 | Grey gelding Maestro Blu (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) has picked up two wins and two placings, finishing fourth or fifth on another five occasions in his 17-start career. | Simon Rees | |
| 16 | Nogolf Etikit | 7 | One of the least experienced runners in this line-up, Nogolf Etikit (NZ) (Echoes of Heaven) has had only nine starts to date. She collected two placings and three other top-five finishes in her first eight starts, then broke through for a deserved maiden win in her most recent appearance. | John Wheeler | Samantha Collett |
| 17 | Renegade Fighter | 18 | Six-year-old Zed gelding Renegade Fighter (NZ) is another lightly raced runner, with only seven starts under his belt. He was an emphatic maiden winner at Te Aroha two starts back. | John Ruddell | |
| 18 | Wotablast | 10 | A half-brother to quality performer Megablast (NZ) (Shinko King), the six-year-old Wotablast (NZ) (Azamour) scored a strong maiden win at Hawera last month. | Jo Rathbone | |
| 19 | Twin Spinner | 2 | Twin Spinner (NZ) (Guillotine) has had 19 starts for a win and eight placings. He recorded back-to-back placings at Pukekohe and Avondale in July, but has been outside the placings in two subsequent appearances. | Lesley Munro | |
| 20 | Brawler | 12 | Ocean Park gelding Brawler (NZ) won at Taupo last month and ran a good race to place at Ruakaka last Saturday. | Clinton Isdale |