Magic Millions target for It’s A Knockout

A summer campaign in Queensland is on the agenda for progressive mare It’s A Knockout after she led throughout to post a smart win in the Merrylands RSL Club Handicap (1500m).

Trainer by Ciaron Maher, the four-year-old was a late comer to the racetrack, making her debut in July with victory on the Kensington track before finishing runner-up at Randwick at her most recent appearance.

Maher’s Sydney foreman Johann Gerard-Dubord said the stable had kept her ticking over with the intention of raising her rating in preparation for a potential shot at next year’s Magic Millions carnival on the Gold Coast.

“There is a race like The Wave in Queensland in January that could be a good race for her, but we wanted to get her rating up and that’s why we kept going,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“It does help when she can put herself there on speed. She has got a very good racing style.

“She is a typical Dundeel, she will keep improving and she will stay further. She overdid it a touch last time, but she relaxed a lot better today and just kept going.

“We will see how she comes through that, but we will probably give her a little freshen now. She has done a terrific job.”

Rated superbly in front by Tim Clark, It’s A Knockout ($7) scored by 1-1/2 lengths over stablemate Vivy Air ($3.60) with Mountain Top ($9) another three-quarters of a length in arrears.