DEAMER HOPING FOR A RANDWICK “KNOCKOUT”

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SHE has been to Tuncurry and Dubbo in a fruitless search for country Cups – and a $3m Big Dance guernsey.

Now It’s A Knockout is back at Royal Randwick with another chance to clinch a berth in the rich race at the same track on November 3.

Whilst a Big Dance start is an attractive lure, Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer would be more than satisfied with a weekend victory.

Deamer dually accepted with the Dynamic Syndications mare in the Big Dance Wild Card (1600m) and Group 3 Angst Stakes over against her own sex over the same distance.

He opted for the former, and Zac Lloyd has taken the mount.

The first two placegetters in the Wild Card automatically qualify for next month’s Big Dance.

Deamer took over It’s A Knockout’s preparation from Ciaron Maher after she ran seventh to Narbold in the Listed Rowley Mile (1600m) at Hawkesbury on August 20.

She ran fifth with 58.5kg (after apprentice Archie McColm’s 2kg allowance) to Dubai Warrior in the Tuncurry Cup – a 1600m Benchmark 82 Handicap – on September 11 before an excellent third with 58kg to Puntin in the Dubbo Cup (1600m) 16 days later.

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Both races carried Big Dance eligibility.

“It’s A Knockout ran really well at Dubbo,” Deamer said today.

“The winner Puntin went very fast out in front, and kept going faster.

“It’s a Knockout drew awkwardly and got back to second last, but finished well.

“She has done well since, and drops a lot in weight to the minimum (52kg).

“It’s A Knockout has done well since Dubbo, and the Wild Card looks a more suitable race for her than the Angst.

“Of course it would be nice to get a start in the Big Dance, but I’m just trying to get another win with her.”

It’s a Knockout, a six-year-old daughter of Dundeel, has won three races and is a Randwick winner at 1400m, in a Benchmark 78 Handicap in June last year when she romped home by more than four lengths on a soft track.

Deamer also may have a “throw at the stumps” with relative newcomer Lucky Kwong (Andrew Adkins) in the Group 3 Reginald Allen Quality (1400m) for three-year-old fillies.

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Another member of the Dynamic team, she also joined Deamer’s barn from Maher, but without racing, after finishing sixth in a 900m Rosehill Gardens trial on September 6.

At her first start she ran third to River Jordan in a Newcastle Provincial Maiden Plate (1300m) on October 6 as a $31 chance.

“We haven’t decided yet whether she will run as it’s obviously a big task going to a Group 3 as a maiden at only her second start, but nonetheless an opportunity to gain some black type,” Deamer said.

Lucky Kwong was a $150,000 purchase as a 2035 Magic Millions yearling at the Gold Coast, and is the second last foal of her Group 1 placed dam Kylikwong, who died in October 2024.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, OCTOBER 15, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS