NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho Opens Doors for McGrath (NZ)

The connections of promising stayer McGrath (NZ) (Savabeel) have some exciting options to choose from after a highly impressive performance in the $50,000 NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho (3000m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

The Rating 82 race carries ballot-free entry for the winner in the A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool on November 29, and proud sponsor NZB Airfreight offers a $5,000 equine airfreight credit if connections decide to travel across the Tasman and contest the Jericho Cup.

McGrath’s trainer Caley Myers is giving serious consideration to a Jericho Cup tilt, while a late nomination for next month’s $450,000 Group Three Martin Collins 163rd New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton is also a strong possibility.

“After a performance like that, he potentially deserves a shot at the New Zealand Cup, or we might look at the Jericho,” Myers said. “That would be a very nice trip away.

“We’ll see how the horse comes through this, and we’ll have a conversation with Joan (Egan, owner-breeder).”

McGrath is a full-brother to Sword Of Osman (NZ) (Savabeel), who was a Group One-winning two-year-old in the Sistema Stakes (1200m). In contrast, McGrath has benefitted from more time and longer distances.

Originally trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, McGrath won a 1600-metre maiden at Otaki in his second start in March of 2023 and then picked up three placings through his next 20 appearances, including an encouraging second over 2000 metres at Taupo on October 9.

That prompted Myers to send McGrath down south and give him an opportunity to earn bigger targets later in the spring. He did that and more.

McGrath was ridden by Floor Moerman and settled in midfield before bursting to the lead after turning for home. The seven-year-old drew away to win by two lengths, and he kept up a strong gallop most of the way down the Riccarton back straight before Moerman was able to pull him up.

“He’s a nice horse,” Myers said. “He’s always shown a bit of promise. Joan has been very patient with him, and hopefully she’s going to be rewarded.”

McGrath has now had 23 starts for two wins, three placings and $59,700 in stakes, with those lucrative late-spring targets looming on the horizon.

Saturday’s race was the second of two annual New Zealand qualifiers for the Jericho Cup. The first qualifier was run at New Plymouth on September 5 and was won by In A Pickle (NZ) (Preferment) for Cambridge trainer Ralph Manning.

The Jericho Cup was inaugurated in 2018, 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 eight years ago.

The New Zealand influence on the Jericho Cup has quickly taken hold, with six of the first eight winners bred on this side of the Tasman – High Mode (NZ) (Redwood), Ablaze (NZ) (Raise the Flag), Count Zero (NZ) (Zed), Nassak Diamond (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) and the 2024 and 2025 back-to-back winner Farag (NZ) (Sacred Falls).