DEAMER’S TALENTS AGAIN TO THE FORE

FOR a trainer who keeps on average no more than a dozen horses in work, Jason Deamer’s talent is there for all to see.

The Newcastle trainer’s victory with six-year-old mare African Daisy ($10) at Rosehill Gardens yesterday was the eighth time in the last 10 seasons that he won more than 20 races.

Deamer’s hands on approach – the former successful jockey rides many of his horses in trackwork – is certainly paying off.

And a decision to experiment with blinkers on yesterday’s winner paid off as well for the mare’s Dynamic Syndications group of owners.

“African Daisy’s form had been below par in two runs this time in, and we decided to try blinkers on her when she galloped at Broadmeadow on Wednesday morning,” Deamer said today.

“She responded well to them, so we left them on for the race.

“I feel that plus the soft track at Rosehill were the contributing factors to turning her form around.”

African Daisy, after being up on the speed at Rosehill Gardens a week earlier, ran last of 12 runners in Rolling Magic’s Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m).

Given a perfect run yesterday from her inside draw by Tim Clark, the American Pharoah mare was too good for her rivals in a similar race over 100m shorter.

After hitting the front in the straight, she held off Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker’s late closer Equilibrist ($7.50) and fellow Kembla trainer Ross McConville’s Donwon ($17), who did a good job after racing wide.

Deamer revealed that African Daisy was on her last chance yesterday to show some form.

“Dynamic said she wasn’t coming home after the race if she didn’t perform well,” he said.

“They were intending to put her on the market.

“But she has had a reprieve for now at least, and we’ll look for another suitable race for her.”

. Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan just failed to clinch a Grafton Cup start with Stylebender when the July carnival kicked off today.

Ridden by Rising Star Series winner, apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald, Stylebender ($2.30 favorite) made his run out in the centre of the track in the straight in the Grafton Cup Prelude (2230m), but was edged out by the six-horse field’s $61 rank bolter Pure Deal.

A Prelude win would have given Buchanan’s consistent seven-year-old a “free ticket” into the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 17.

Story John Curtis, July 6, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos