There is no race in the world quite like the Jericho Cup, which will be run on Saturday at Warrnambool Racecourse in Australia. The race is restricted to Australian- and New Zealand-breds and run at about 2 7/8 miles, an unheard of distance for a flat race in the Northern Hemisphere. There is no shortage of interest in the $193,536 Jericho Cup. Saturday’s race drew a full field of 14, with four also-eligibles, and has a solid favorite in the 5-year-old gelding Bazini, who was second in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Nov. 16. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing Bazini has won 4 of 13 starts, but has been beaten in his last two races. Earlier this year, Bazini won consecutive starts in handicaps, at 2 1/4 miles at Bendigo in July and 1 7/8 miles at Coleraine in August. Some of his rivals had recent prep races at longer distances. Bastida won a handicap at 2 1/8 miles at Canberra on Nov. 13, ending a six-race losing streak. Jukila has won his last two starts, both at Bendigo Racecourse – a handicap at 2 1/4 miles in June and a handicap at 1 1/2 miles on Oct. 26. Jukila tends to run near the front, which will make for an interesting strategy for jockey William McCarthy, who must conserve something for the final mile. Jukila is trained by Michelle Payne, who rode Prince of Penzance to a win in the 2015 Melbourne Cup. The gelding is not reliant on a front-running style and has won at Warrnambool, in a handicap at 1 15/16 miles in August 2020. Jukila was seventh in the 2020 Jericho Cup, but did not start in the race last year. The Jericho Cup is part of a nine-race program, beginning at 8:40 p.m. Eastern or 5:40 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.