DEAMER’S CHANCE TO “KNOCK OUT” BIG DANCE RIVALS

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JASON Deamer is poised for a shot at the richest prize of his training career.

But he awaits a Dynamic Syndications’ decision about starting yesterday’s easy Royal Randwick winner It’s A Knockout in the $3m Big Dance (1600m) at the same track on November 3.

Having only her third start for the Newcastle trainer, It’s A Knockout clinched a berth in the Melbourne Cup day feature by taking the 1600m Wild Card.

Only nine horses faced the starter for two spots in the Big Dance field, though the race was restricted to horses who hadcontested any of the qualifying races without winning one.

It’s A Knockout ($3.60) was the first leg of a Randwick treble for young gun Zac Lloyd as she relished her 52kg to score by more than two lengths from favorite Matias ($2.60) and fellow Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Tavi Time ($4.80).

“I’ll talk with Dynamic tomorrow about the Big Dance,” Deamer said today.

“It’s going to be a hard race to win (current favorite Gringotts is chasing a Big Dance hat-trick), but she will probably go there.”

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It’s A Knockout firmed to $11 as a result of her victory, with Gringotts at $3.50 and last week’s Rosehill Gardens $1.5m Alan Brown Stakes winner Formal Display next at $6.

Deamer is the go-to trainer for Dynamic when the Sydney-based syndicator decides to transfer horses from metropolitan stables.

He never lets them down and did it again yesterday with It’s AKnockout, who was eligible for the Wild Card, having contested two earlier Big Dance Qualifiers; fifth in the Tuncurry Cup (1600m) on September 11 and a late closing third in the Dubbo Cup (1600m) 16 days later.

A daughter of Dundeel, It’s A Knockout fetched $150,000 when bought by Dynamic at the 2022 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast. 

Newcastle became her home after finishing seventh in the Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on August 20, having previously been trained by Ciaron Maher.

She has now earned just over $507,000 in prizemoney, with four wins and seven placings from 22 starts.

If It’s A Knockout lines up in the Big Dance, connections almost certainly will need to find a new jockey as Zac Lloyd is expected to ride UK stayer Hopewell Rock in the $10m Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington the same day.

Lloyd completed a successful working stint for the Ebor Handicap runner-up’s trainer George Boughey in the UK earlier this year.

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Deamer’s triumph with It’s A Knockout came on top of a Taree success the previous day with lightly-raced Rupertano.

Ridden by apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, $2.15 favorite Rupertano beat Wyong trainer Tracey Bartley’s What A Gent ($7.50) in the Super Maiden Plate (1400m) at only his second start.

Ruperatano, a Winning Rupert four-year-old, races in the same colours as Deamer’s former good sprinter Bon Amis, with whom he won eight races, including five at Rosehill Gardens.

Bon Amis also ran third to Savatiano in the inaugural running of Newcastle’s $1m The Hunter (1300m) in 2019.

Rupertano’s Taree breakthrough carried extra significance for Deamer as he trained the gelding’s dam The Deel Is Dun and granddam Nevaseenitbrighta, also winning races with both of them.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, OCTOBER 18, 2026