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Live sport on SN this weekendThrilling finish to Taranaki staying feature
Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • September 6th, 2026 11:05 am
In A Pickle winning the NZB Airfreight Road To The Jericho (3210m) at New Plymouth on Saturday | Photo: Jane Davidson
Cambridge visitor In A Pickle booked a possible trip to Warrnambool later in the season when he prevailed in the first of two Jericho Cup (4600m) qualifying contests after a thrilling home straight struggle at New Plymouth on Saturday.
The NZB Airfreight Road To The Jericho (3210m) provides the winner with automatic entry into the A$304,000 Victorian contest, which is open to Australian and New Zealand-bred horses and commemorates the light horse involvement in World War I.
It is run on the fourth Sunday after the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) and has become an iconic event in Australian racing.
In a competitive skirmish that resulted in early pacemaker Leprekhan leading by more than 15 lengths at the halfway mark, it was the Ralph Manning-prepared In A Pickle and rider Rihaan Goyaram that took the bull by the horns with 700m to run as they swept around the field to lead clearly turning for home.
The effects of running 3210m on a Heavy9 rated surface began to take their toll on the eight-year-old son of Preferment at the 200m as eventual runner-up Slick Chick began to eat into the lead.
In A Pickle saw his rival coming and pulled out all stops in the final few bounds to hold her at bay by a head at the winning post, with Early Times battling on nicely for third.
With the winner of each qualifying race receiving a $5,000 equine airfreight credit from race sponsor NZB Airfreight, should they decide to travel across the Tasman and contest the Jericho Cup, Manning may have a decision to make.
“It was a really good win but looking ahead I’m not sure he is the right type of horse for a Jericho Cup, however that is not my decision, it is for the owners,” Manning said.
“He can be pretty quirky and isn’t a great traveller, so we haven’t really taken him too far for his races.
“On his day he does have good ability, but he is the type that if he doesn’t like something, including the rider, he just won’t gallop. He even does it at trackwork.
“Rihaan gets on pretty well with him, so he can get him going along and doing his best.
“I thought it was a pretty good ride although I told him he was six inches from going too early, but as we got the photo in our favour, he was a genius.”
Originally purchased for $5,000 from the Wentwood Grange draft during the Book 2 sale at Karaka in 2020, In A Pickle made his way to Manning’s stable after being sold on gavelhouse.com for $6,250.
He has now won six of his 37 starts and more than $127,000 in prizemoney.
The final New Zealand qualifying event for the Jericho Cup will be run at Riccarton on 24 October.
