DEAMER SEEKING AN INTERSTATE STAKES DOUBLE

A week can be a long time in racing, but Jason Deamer won’t mind the delay one bit if he can snare an interstate stakes double on Saturday.

The Newcastle trainer is sending stablemates Hard To Say and Rapt to the Gold Coast on Thursday night to race at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Hard To Say will line up in the Listed Bribie Handicap (1000m), and Rapt resumes in the Listed Just Now (1300m) against her own sex.

The pair was to have raced last Saturday, but circumstances conspired to keep both waiting a week.

“Hard To Say was to run in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday, but it was too wetfor him,” Deamer explained this morning.

“And Rapt was in at Kembla Grange, but the races were called off.

“The extra week won’t worry them anyway.”

Ryan Maloney again rides Hard To Say, whom he partnered last time out when a close fourth to Newcastle mare Bubba’s Bay in the Listed Keith Noud (1200m) at Doomben on November 9.

Deamer’s eight times winner, who has earned nearly $750,000 in a 25-start career to date, is heading back to the Magic Millions carnival at the Gold Coast.

The five-year-old gelding’s target is the $2m Magic MillionsSnippets (1200m) on January 11.

Hard To Say ran fourth in the 3YO Handicap (1200m) at the MM carnival in January this year.

“Hard To Say will come home after Saturday’s race, and won’t start again until the January 11 race,” Deamer said.

“But I will most likely trial him in between runs.”

Rapt hasn’t raced since winning the Grafton Guineas (1600m) in July, which followed her victory 15 days earlier in a Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1600m) on heavy ground at the Gosford meeting held at Scone.

“Rapt is also an acceptor for a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday, but at this stage she is heading north,” Deamer said.

“She has drawn nicely at Eagle Farm, and it’s a good opportunity to get some black type with her.

“Rapt was given a good break after the Grafton Guineas, and has had two nice trials to prepare her for her return.

“This is her first trip interstate, and Taylor Marshall will ride her.”

Hard To Say was a $5.50 favorite with TAB.com.au on Thursday morning, and Rapt was listed at $13 for the Just Now, whereas she was at much bigger odds ($34) for the Rosehill race.

Whilst Hard To Say is the sole NSW provincial runner in the Bribie, fellow Newcastle mare Lovemelikearock (Damien Thornton), a member of Kris Lees’ team, also contests the Just Now and was one of the outsiders at $34.

Story John Curtis, December 5, 2024 - Pic Bradley Photos