Racing
No Knockout for Maher at Rosehill
A chance to qualify for the Big Dance has convinced connections of It’s A Knockout to bypass Rosehill for a country Cup tilt.
Lightly raced mare It's A Knockout will dodge an assignment at Rosehill in favour of the Coffs Harbour Cup, but leading trainer Ciaron Maher will still have strong representation at the opening Sydney meeting of the new season.
It's A Knockout was among eight acceptors for the National Jockeys Trust Handicap (1500m) on Saturday but Maher's Sydney foreman Johann Gerard-Dubord confirmed the four-year-old would instead head north for Friday's 1600m feature.
"It's her trip and the fact it's a Big Dance qualifier is very enticing," Gerard-Dubord said.
"She has also drawn well so she will be going there.
"Three weeks between runs, I would have loved an extra week as she is very good fresh but she's down in the weights and it looks a nice race."
While It's A Knockout won't be in town, consistent filly Spaceballs will take her place from a good draw in Saturday's Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1500m).
Scratched from a 1400m race on the corresponding program due to a wide gate, the filly has been fitted with blinkers after going down narrowly at Newcastle last start when she was wayward in the straight.
Gerard-Dubord said Spaceballs had responded well to the headgear in trackwork and he expected a competitive performance.
"She threw the race away last start after she got to the front," he said.
"Stepping up in trip with the blinkers is a bit of a question mark, but working in them, she was a different horse.
"She has got a lot of talent. We haven't seen the best of her and probably won't see the best of her for a while but blinkers will help."
The 10-race Rosehill card will mark the first Sydney metropolitan meeting of the 2025-26 racing term which kicks off on August 1.
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