New 4600m staying race for $300k might be crazy enough to work

Talk about one for the stayers.

Racing Victoria and the Warrnambool Racing Club announced yesterday a brand new $300,000 flat race over 4600m, to be called the Jericho Cup.

It’s curious for a number of reasons, and if you’re interested in history your ears might have already perked up.

The clue comes from the fact that the race will be run for the second time – not the first.

The Jericho Cup of 2018 will commemorate the original edition of the Cup run back in 1918, held by the Australian Light Horse in the desert and heavy sands of Palestine during World War I.

History tells us the mounted branch of the army organised for a race meeting in order to try and disguise a build-up ahead of an Allied attack on the Turks, ahead of a break-up of the Ottoman Empire.

The winner back in 1918 was Bill the Bastard, likely Australia’s greatest war horse. The affectionately but accurately named horse is an amazing story, and his victory in the race was a last-to-first effort that the ANZACs punted on wildly.

In keeping with that ANZAC tradition, only Australian and New Zealand-bred horses will be allowed to compete in the new Jericho Cup over the almost three-mile distance.

Another unique aspect to the race is that the considerable prizemoney is privately funded, with most of it coming from Victorian philanthropist Bill Gibbins, the brains behind of the race. The race even has patrons and ambassadors, including Roland Perry, author of the great book on Bill the Bastard.

There’s also a qualifying aspect to make the field. Horses will need to do well enough in a number of flat, staying races that are 3000m or beyond at Australian TAB meetings in order to qualify.

The first three Australasian-bred horses over the line in every 3000m or further flat race will earn 3-2-1 points, say the rules. Points accrued will then be tallied to decide the final field.

There are some double-points races for bigger staying races, an exemption for the Spring Stayers Series Final 2600m at Morphetville, and the winners of The Grand Annual Steeple over 5500m at Warrnambool and The Great Eastern Steeple 4950m at Oakbank will also receive points, the two hurdle races that get an exemption from outside the flat rule.

A winning idea

Good on Gibbins for having a crack. It’s easy enough to poke holes at the concept, and let’s face it, the quality of winners aren’t likely to be particularly high given the lack of stamina that’s being bred and bought locally.

But gee, this is exactly the kind of thing that can start a movement. We often lament the number of sprint distance races and former distance events being shortened. Plus too many races and too much money for two-year-olds which are retired after two starts.

In the broader picture, this idea and race alone probably aren’t enough to turn the Melbourne Cup into an all-Australian affair, but it’s a ripping concept that gives the local horses something to aim for beyond the Race that Stops a Nation.

Here’s hoping the combination of history, prizemoney and ongoing qualification battles become an annual event that can grow into something genuinely special.

The full details of the race, plus an except from the Bill The Bastard book can be found at TheJerichoCup.com.au.