Nassak Diamond created history at Warrnambool on Sunday when becoming the first New Zealand-trained horse to win the Jericho Cup (4600m).

The NZ suffix has featured prominently in the marathon feature, with all but one of the six victors since its 2018 inception being Kiwi-bred - High Mode (2018), Ablaze (2019), Count Zero (2020), Bastida (2022), and now Nassak Diamond.

Nassak Diamond qualified for the race by winning the NZB Airfreight Road To The Jericho (3210m) at New Plymouth in September, and went into Sunday’s feature in a fresh state, having last raced in rating 75 company over 2400m at Pukekohe last month, finishing seventh.

Racing in the colours of breeder The Oaks Stud, Nassak Diamond jumped well and sat parked early before settling just behind the speed as Da Deputy took control of the race and dictated terms up front.

The grey continued to set the pace up front before Campell Rawiller took his opportunity aboard Nassak Diamond when a passage opened up on the inside down the back straight. She hit the front with 800m to go and quickly skipped clear of her rivals and ran away to a dominant seven-length victory over fellow Kiwi-bred Sunday Buzz.

Shaune Ritchie, who trains the mare in partnership with Colm Murray, was trackside on Sunday and said the race was on their radar last year but he was pleased they held off to let her mature.

“We were tempted to try and get her here last year, but I’m pleased we didn’t,” Ritchie told Racing.com.

“She wasn’t quite strong enough, but she was strong enough today, wasn’t she? She was fantastic three starts back in the lead-up race.”

Ritchie was full of praise for the race concept, which was run in front of a massive crowd on Sunday, and he believes it has a bright future ahead.

“This is a wonderful thing Bill Gibbons has started here, and good luck to them,” he said.

“The momentum’s picking up and I think we’ll need a lot better horses in the future, I’d say, to win races like this.”

Rawiller was just as animated with the result, particularly when it was achieved on a good surface.

“I was doing a rain dance all week, but we got it on the wrong side of the state,” he said.

“But she didn’t need the rain today - she was so, so dominant, she’s a real athlete.

“I’m so lucky, my first sit on the horse and she’s come to the races like that. I’ll get the accolades, but she was a real sit and steer job today.”

The Jericho Cup was established to commemorate the feats of Australasia’s light horse units during World War I and is restricted to horses bred in either Australia or New Zealand.