Second Opportunity for New Zealand’s Jericho Cup Hopes
22 October 2026
Two tickets to the A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) are available for New Zealanders every season, and the second of them is up for grabs with the running of the $50,000 NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho (3000m) at Riccarton on Saturday.
The Jericho Cup is restricted to horses bred in Australia or New Zealand, and NZB Airfreight is proud to help get Kiwis into the big race with two qualifying races each spring.
The winner of each qualifying race receives a guaranteed start in the Jericho Cup at Warrnambool on November 29, and NZB Airfreight offers 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 first of those two annual qualifiers 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).
Saturday’s race at Riccarton has the potential to serve two purposes, offering a Jericho Cup berth while also serving as a suitable stepping stone towards the $450,000 Group Three Martin Collins 163rd New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton on November 14.
The NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho will be run as Race 2 at Riccarton on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 12.19pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Alby | 1 | Bought for just $3,000 from Karaka 2020, Prince Alby (NZ) (Sacred Falls) has rewarded his Riverton owner-trainer Kelvin Tyler to the tune of $405,967 in prize-money from a 72-race career. He has won 11 races and placed on another 13 occasions, including a second in the Listed Marton Cup (2200m) and third in the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m). The 3000-metre distance of this distance will hold no fears, with Prince Alby finishing sixth and fourth in the last two editions of the Group Three New Zealand Cup (3200m) at this course. He is again among the nominations for the New Zealand Cup next month. | Karaka 2020, Book 3 | KL Tyler, $3,000 |
| 2 | Vamos | 9 | Kelvin Tyler has a second strong chance in this race with Vamos (NZ) (Vadamos), who was a $40,000 purchase from Karaka 2021 and later changed hands again for just $12,000 on gavelhouse.com. Vamos has had 51 starts for eight wins, nine pacings and $212,105 in stakes. Vamos was a last-start winner of the Kevin Coyle Memorial (2000m) at Gore on October 16. | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | Wexford Stables, $40,000 |
| 3 | Canheroc | 2 | Aidan Schumacher's homebred gelding Canheroc (NZ) (El Roca) is another proven stayer in this line-up, boasting third placings in the Group Three Wellington Cup (3200m) in 2024 as well as the 2024 and 2025 runnings of the Group Three New Zealand Cup (3200m). Now trained locally by Michael and Matthew Pitman, Canheroc has steadily improved through his current preparation as distances have increased - fifth over 1800 metres, fourth over 2000 metres and a last-start second over 2200 metres. Canheroc's 59-start career has produced four wins, 16 placings and $362,780 in stakes. | ||
| 4 | Balance Of Power | 7 | Balance Of Power (NZ) (Almanzor) was bought by Te Akau Racing's Sir David Ellis for $300,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2022, and he was a black-type placegetter as a two-year-old in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m). He has gone on to have 33 starts for five wins, nine placings and $149,425 in prize-money. He has been racing in strong form in recent weeks in Rating 75 and open handicap company over 2000 and 2200 metres. | Karaka 2022, Book 1 | DC Ellis, $300,000 |
| 5 | Henry Thomas | 6 | From only a 13-start career, Henry Thomas (NZ) (Ocean Park) has recorded three wins and three placings and has earned $65,605. He has shown particular promise over longer distances, with two starts over 2600 metres producing a win and a second. | ||
| 6 | Koyama | 5 | Koyama (NZ) (Almanzor) was bought for $110,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2022, then re-sold on gavelhouse.com for $1,001. His 45-race career has produced seven wins, two placings and $130,985 in stakes. He has won five times over 2200 metres, but has yet to place from six attempts beyond that distance. | Karaka 2022, Book 2 | Wexford Stables, $110,000 |
| 7 | La Evita | 4 | Six-year-old mare La Evita (NZ) (Puccini) has been a four-time winner from 37 career starts, placing on another three occasions and earning $71,700. All of those victories have come over 2200 metres. Her only attempt at a longer distance produced a fourth placing over 2600 metres in April of last year. | ||
| 8 | McGrath | 3 | This is the South Island debut for the Caley Myers-trained McGrath (NZ) (Savabeel), who travels down with a career record of 22 starts for one win, one second, two thirds and $30,950 in stakes. The full-brother to Group One winner Sword Of Osman (NZ) (Savabeel) was a maiden winner over 1600 metres and has shown promise over further, including a fourth in a competitive 2200-metre race at Trentham last December. | ||
| 9 | Lanikai | 10 | Lanikai (NZ) (Ocean Park) cost $165,000 at Karaka 2022 and was later bought for $3,000 on gavelhouse.com. He has had 35 starts for two wins, eight placings and $100,295 in prize-money. He overcame a wide run for a tough last-start fifth over 2200 metres at Ashburton last Sunday - the longest race he has contested so far in his career. | Karaka 2022, Book 1 | Pike Racing, $165,000 |
| 10 | She's So Reliable | 8 | She's So Reliable (NZ) (Reliable Man) was a $40,000 purchase from Karaka 2019 and changed hands again for $1,950 on gavelhouse.com last year. Her 69-start career has produced four wins, 20 placings and $176,870 in stakes. | Karaka 2019, Book 1 | AK Hauraki, $40,000 |