The last three qualifying races for the Jericho Cup will be held over the coming days, as the revival of the century-old horse race and Tuesday’s nominations deadline edge closer.
The first, suitably titled ‘The Jericho Cup Qualifier’, will be held tonight at The Valley. The BM70 3000m race is also the last of the double points races which guarantee a start in the Cup for the winner.
Rounding out the final qualifying races are the Listed Ladbrokes Sandown Cup (3200m) held on Saturday’s Zipping Classic Race Day and a BM66 Handicap over 3120m at Grafton on Monday, 19 November 2018.
A points system for the Cup commenced on 1 January 2017, with the first three Australasian-bred horse to finish in any Australian 3000-metre flat race receiving three, two or one points depending on their finishing order.
A field of 12 starters and four emergencies will be declared, with a $40,000 Jericho Cup consolation over 4065m added to the Warrnambool meeting should a field of at least ten starters be assembled.
Nominations close at 12 noon on Tuesday, 20 November with weights released by Racing Victoria on Wednesday, 21 November. Final acceptances to be taken at 12 noon on Tuesday, 27 November and the field released that afternoon.
There are currently four horses that have guaranteed a start in the Cup should they nominate and accept. These include:
- Dark Muscat - Graeme Ballantyne
- Anton en Avant - Stephen Lee
- High Mode - Anthony Freedman
- Doc Holliday - Symon Wilde
The Lindsay Park-trained Dane Hussler also guaranteed a start after her win in the Jericho Cup Prelude (3600m) in April however has since been retired.
The Jericho Cup, which will be conducted at Warrnambool Racecourse on Sunday, 2 December 2018, commemorates Australia and New Zealand’s light horse involvement in World War 1 in the Middle East and is scheduled 100 years after it was first run on the desert sands of Palestine, just outside the city of Jericho.
To view the current points tally, click here.