Carrying the colours of Australia’s best short course sprinter Nature Strip, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Ablaze captured Australia’s longest flat, the $300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool on Sunday.
With John Allen in the saddle, Ablaze scored by three-quarters of a length from Golden Flag with Where Are You 10 lengths back in third to give New-Zealand-breds the trifecta.
Not unused to big-race success, part-owner Rod Lyons said it was a thrill and an honour to win the second running of the race, which commemorates the original three-mile race held in the desert sands of Jericho towards the end of World War 1, which was won by the very Australian sounding Bill The Bastard.
“It’s as big a thrill as I’ve had in racing, to come to this race,” Lyons told racing.com.
“It means so much to our heritage. What these brave men and woman (during the World Wars) did for us. To be honest, I’m beyond words to have won the race.
“It brings a tear to your eye just thinking about it. It’s a pleasure and an honour to win it.”
Ablaze has been in outstanding form with four wins and one second from his last six starts, which included hurdle wins at Coleraine and Ballarat and a second over the hurdles at Moonee Valley.
The 8yo gelding is a son of White Robe Lodge’s Sadler’s Wells stallion Raise The Flag (GB) who also sired the runner-up Golden Flag.
His dam Alight is a daughter of the royally-bred Mr Prospector Personal Escort (USA) who is also the sire of the dam of Jericho Cup runner-up Golden Flag so this was a big result the White Robe Stud.
Alight’s dam Bi Light (by another White Robe resident Noble Bijou (USA)) won 11 races including the Listed White Robe Lodge Stakes (of course) and is a daughter of the stakes-placed Lamp Light who is a daughter of White Robe’s champion Mellay (GB).
