SUNDAY: August 11, 2024: JAMES Ponsonby has a long-range plan to win one of Australia’s most unusual events - and hopes to be able to make a double-barrelled bid.
The 4600m Jericho Cup – to be run at Warrnambool on December 1 – is the longest flat race in the country, and the Hawkesbury trainer moved a step closer to getting back there when Semper Fortis took the Riverina Cup (2500m) at Wagga today.
Ridden by Mathew Cahill, Semper Fortis ($2.50 favorite) outstayed his rivals, defeating Knights Armour ($3.20) and Dubai Showgirl ($5), convincing his trainer the $300,000 Jericho Cup is worth aiming for.
The Tavistock six-year-old and ex-Victorian has now been successful at three of his last five starts.
“I wanted to see how he performed today with the Cup in mind later in the year,” Ponsonby said en route home.
“Now I can look for a couple of 3200m races around October to try to get him into the field.
“The Jericho Cup is restricted to Australian and New Zealand-bred thoroughbreds, so we don’t have to worry about the European stayers.
“Semper Fortis has really turned the corner.
“He did a terrific job under 61kg. I was concerned about him giving Dubai Showgirl, who had won over 2400m at Kembla Grange at her previous start, 6kg.
“But Mathew (Cahill) was confident beforehand, and afterwards said he still has more to give.”
Ponsonby knows all about the intrigue of a race such as the Jericho Cup.
He was there three years ago with Will To Excel, who ran fifth, and again the following year when the same horse ran seventh.
As well, then stablemate Raffish was narrowly beaten in the ‘shorter’ 4065m Cup Consolation in 2022.
“Hopefully, we will get both Semper Fortis and Will To Excel there this year,” Ponsonby, an experienced horseman who was a successful harness racing trainer-driver before switching to the thoroughbreds, said.
“Will To Excel showed he has come back well with a first-up second over 1800m at Gundagai last Tuesday.
“He has won at 3200m at Wagga, and been placed over 3870m at Moonee Valley.”
. Ponsonby rang up a career milestone 50th winner as a thoroughbred trainer with Semper Fortis, and almost returned home with a Wagga double, but unfortunately Christmas didn’t arrive early for him.
Prince Of Arendell ($5.50) gave a great sight in the Class 1/Maiden Plate (1600m), but a seven-year-old mare named with a Christmas theme, Sleigh’s Belle ($7.50,) overhauled him in the closing stages.
“It’s been a while since we had a double and I thought Prince Of Arendell was going to do it for us,” he said.
“However, I could see 100m out that Sleigh’s Belle was going two to our horse’s one.”
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