The club is anticipating more than 4000 patrons will be on course for the running of the $300,000 Jericho Cup, a nationally recognised flat race to be run over 4600m.

It will recreate a race held by Australian mounted troops in Palestine during World War I.

Club chief executive Peter Downs said early indications were that more patrons would be on course for the Jericho Cup meeting than the successful Woodford and Koroit race dates.

“The bookings for the meeting are above our expectations,” Downs said.

“I would say going by our early numbers it’s going to be bigger than our Woodford and Koroit meetings, which is a wonderful result.

“We took a phone call from a person from Melbourne last week and they booked in 200 patrons.

“The phones keep on ringing with people asking about the Jericho Cup.

“Our corporate bookings are excellent. There are lots of people talking about the day.

“It looks like being a successful meeting, not only for the club and racing but also for the City of Warrnambool and the district, as people will be looking for a meal and accommodation after the day’s racing.”

Nine permanent fences in the open country usually used in the Grand Annual Steeplechase had to be removed last year as the club prepared the course for the first running of the Jericho.

“It’s a history making race,” Downs said.

“It will be an amazing sight to see horses running through the paddocks without any fences in the 4600 metre race.

“We took the permanent fences down and replaced them with wheel-in fences for the Grand Annual.”

“The Jericho Cup is a high-weight race for jumps jockeys.”

The Australian Light Horse were planning a major offensive against the Turks in 1918.

In order to lull the enemy into believing nothing unusual was afoot, a race meeting was organised on the eve of the assault.

The race, run over three miles through the desert sands, was dubbed the Jericho Cup and was won by a horse named Bill the Bastard.

Australian philanthropist Bill Gibbins sought an opportunity to honour the courage and spirit of our mounted troops for the centenary anniversary.

It was through this that the idea for the Jericho Cup was born.

The Darren Weir-trained Truly High raced into contention for the race, winning the Jericho Cup qualifier at Moonee Valley last Friday night.

Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde is hoping to run his star jumper Gold Medals and Doc Holliday.

A field of 12 runners and four emergencies will be declared, with a $40,000 consolation race added to the meeting should a field of at least 10 runners be assembled.

Acceptances for the race will close at noon on Tuesday, November 20.

A metropolitan start awaits Fast Plan after his win in a restricted race at Geelong on Sunday, according to trainer Mitch Freedman.

Fast Plan defeated El Questro and Parsifal in a 1440 metre race for Freedman, who now trains at Ballarat after being at Crossley.

“I was very confident he would run well,” Freedman said.

“His first up effort at Bendigo was solid, and on the back of that he’s got such a good second up record I thought he had to be hard to beat.

“He’s now won three of those four runs. He’s been a very consistent horse and now deserves a crack at a race at either Flemington or Moonee Valley.

“There’s suitable races at those tracks over the next few weeks.

“I’ll sort where he’s next start will be in a few days. I’m quietly confident I’ll get him to run a strong 1600 metres in this campaign.

“He seemed to struggle at that distance previously, but he’s more mature now.”

Meanwhile, Not To Know ran third in the Dunkeld Cup for the young trainer on Saturday, and a start in the Burrumbeet Cup on New Year’s Day awaits the eight-year-old.

“Not To Know has been an honest campaigner for the stable,” Freedman said.

“He’s a tough horse. I thought his Dunkeld Cup was very good.

“He’ll go to the Traralgon Cup before running in the Burrumbeet Cup.”

Not To Know took his stake earnings to just over $100,000 with his third placing at Dunkeld.

CHAMPION jumps jockey Steven Pateman says he has put his hand up for a ride in the inaugural $300,000 Jericho Cup.

The race, to be run at Warrnambool over 4600 metres, is restricted to jumps jockeys.

“I’m chasing a ride in the race,” Pateman said.

“I would say that a few of the other jumps jockeys are still looking around to get a spot.

“We’re less than a fortnight away from the race, so the boys are trying to finalise rides.

“It might be tough to get a ride, because there’s only the 12 runners.

“The race is a wonderful concept, and Bill Gibbins should be congratulated for coming up with the idea and backing it to the hilt.

“I’m confident the race will go from strength to strength in the future.”

The Jericho Cup will be run on December 2.