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World War I warriors to be honoured on Sunday

A healthy field has been assembled for tomorrow’s heat of a revived, historic wartime race that honours the bravery of Australian Light Horsemen and their World War I mounts.

The winner of the Naracoorte qualifying event – a benchmark 75 event over 3160m –  will gain direct entry to the $304,000 Jericho Cup at Warrnambool over three miles (4800m) in late November.

The meeting was transferred from Penola due to track conditions. The Jericho qualifier has attracted 12 acceptors, while an extra race has also been added to the program, creating an eight-race meeting.

The Jericho Cup was revived in 2018 to mark 100 years since the original Cup was run through desert sands near Palestine as a pre-offensive ruse to lull Turkish troops into believing nothing unusual was afoot.

The event – which has proven a hit in its first two years – has nine ‘guaranteed start’ races across Australia and New Zealand, with the latter’s war contribution also recognised via the initiative.

South Australia will host a second qualifying race at Gawler on Friday, October 23.

Penola Racing Club secretary Belinda Holland said the unique event was a welcome feature to tomorrow’s program.

“We’re rapt to have a qualifying race for the Jericho Cup,” Ms Holland said.

“It’s a concept that has a genuine point of difference, honouring the World War I soldiers and their horses, so it certainly adds more interest to the meeting.

“We’ve also had an extra race added to the program, so that’s even more good news.”

The revived Jericho Cup – the brainchild of founder, racing fan and philanthropist Bill Gibbins – is Australia’s longest flat race.

While crowds are likely to be absent from this year’s Jericho Cup, to be run at Warrnambool on November 29, Mr Gibbins has confirmed the race will go ahead, as planned.

"The amount of people who've shown interest in the event from all around Australia and the world is quite staggering,” Mr Gibbins told the Warrnambool Standard.

“I would say the 2021 Jericho Cup will be the biggest ever if we're allowed to have crowds back on course.

“But for this year we've just got to keep the momentum going."

The 2019 Jericho Cup winner was Ablaze, trained in Victoria by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. Ablaze took out the Gawler Qualifying event last October.

The winner of the original Jericho Cup was Bill the Bastard, acknowledged by historians as Australia’s greatest wartime horse.

Race one at Naracoorte is scheduled for 1.05pm, while the Jericho Cup qualifier is set down for 4.25pm.

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