NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho Rescheduled for Waverley
19 September 2024
The North Island’s golden ticket into the A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) has found a new home on the calendar this year, with the $40,000 NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho (3200m) now scheduled to be run at Waverley on Sunday.
The race was originally carded for New Plymouth last Saturday, but severe weather forced that meeting to be abandoned. With the NZB Airfreight Road to the Jericho carrying a ballot-free Jericho Cup entry for its winner, plus a valuable $5000 travel credit from sponsors NZB Airfreight, an alternative date for the race was quickly secured.
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 second qualifying race will be run at Riccarton in October.
Last year’s North Island qualifier at New Plymouth 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 field for Sunday’s second take of the North Island qualifier has attracted a capacity field of 14 plus three emergencies and promises to be an exciting contest.
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 8 at Waverley on Sunday, with a scheduled start time of 4.48pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berry The Cash | 4 | Berry The Cash (NZ) (Jakkalberry) has developed into New Zealand's leading hurdler, winning six of his last seven starts in that role including two editions of the Grand National Hurdle (4200m). He has also been a three-time winner on the flat, and his enormous stamina could easily make him a factor in this race and the Jericho Cup (4600m) itself. | ||
| 2 | King Khan | 7 | 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 at New Plymouth 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 | 16 | 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 | 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 New Plymouth 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 | 10 | 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 | Impaired Vision | 5 | 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. | ||
| 8 | Malfurion | 6 | Lightly raced seven-year-old Malfurion (NZ) (Pure Champion) has shown signs of impressive stamina, launching a sustained run from second-last to win a 2400-metre Rating 65 at Trentham in November of last year. He seems likely to appreciate the step up to 3200 metres this weekend. | ||
| 9 | Irrigate | 11 | 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 Te Rapa on August 24. Originally passed in at Karaka 2019 with a $50,000 reserve, she was bought by her new owners for just $1900 on gavelhouse.com last year. | Karaka 2019, Book 1 | Psd, Res $50,000 |
| 10 | Moments Like These | 1 | Moments Like These (NZ) (Tavistock) has a quality pedigree behind him, with his dam being a half-sister to Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther (NZ) (Tavistock) as well as fellow Group One winner Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock). Moments Like These has himself had 14 starts for a win and four placings, making up late ground over 2060 metres to run sixth in his most recent start at Wanganui on August 31. | ||
| 11 | Lochwinnoch | 17 | Lochwinnoch (NZ) (Rios) ran in the South Island's Jericho Cup qualifier at Riccarton last October, producing a strong late finish into third over 3000 metres. He has successfully added jumping to his repertoire in the 12 months since then, winning an open hurdle and a maiden steeplechase. | ||
| 12 | Dictation | 14 | One of a number of horses in this field that has successfully mixed flat and jumps racing, Dictation (NZ) (Tavistock) has been a dual winner on the flat and has recorded two wins and two seconds from just five starts over hurdles. He was an impressive five-length winner of a 3100-metre hurdle race at Riccarton on August 10. | Karaka 2019, Book 1 | Glen Harvey Bloodstock, $30,000 |
| 13 | Dorothy's Daughter | 8 | 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. | ||
| 14 | Steve Austin | 9 | 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. | ||
| 15 | Split | 15 | Wanganui trainer Jo Rathbone won this race with Quota (NZ) (Makfi) in 2022. Her runner this year is Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), who is still a maiden but has been showing promising signs with strong finishes towards the end of his middle-distance races. | ||
| 16 | Perfectmanz | 2 | Perfectmanz (NZ) (Almanzor) took on some of the best of his age group last season, finishing fourth in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m), ninth in the Group Two Waikato Guineas (2000m), 10th in the Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m) and 12th in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m). He has started his four-year-old season in promising style with two seconds and a fourth from three appearances. | ||
| 17 | Country Bumpkin | 12 | Country Bumpkin (NZ) (St Reims) is best known for his deeds over jumps, where he has won three steeplechases and a hurdle race. He has had 28 starts on the flat for a win and eight placings. |