Progressive mare It’s A Knockout leaves rivals in her wake with all-the-way win at Randwick

It’s A Knockout made a late start to her racing career but she is quickly making up for lost time as she lands her second win from three starts with a bold frontrunning win at Randwick.

It's A Knockout leads all-the-way at Rosehill on Saturday to make it two wins from three starts. Picture: Getty Images

It’s A Knockout raced up to her name and led home a Ciaron Maher stable quinella at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

On a windy, warm early spring day in Sydney, It’s A Knockout hugged the rails throughout and scooted home to an easy win in the Merrylands RSL Club Handicap (1500m).

The early indications were It’s A Knockout might have been in the “fast lane” as the first two winners led throughout but her effort to defeat stablemate Vivy Air should not be underestimated.

“It does help when she can put herself there on speed. She has got a very good racing style,” said Johann Gerard-Dubord, Sydney stable representative for champion trainer Ciaron Maher.

“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.”

It’s A Knockout ($7), well-rated in front by Tim Clark, led throughout and had 1½ lengths to spare on the line from Vivy Air ($3.60) with Mountain Top ($9) less than a length away third.

Sequestered was backed into $2.60 favouritism but had trouble accelerating under her 59.5kg impost and worked home only fairly to finish fourth.

A $150,000 yearling purchase for Dean Watt’s Dynamic Syndications at the Magic Millions two years ago, It’s A Knockout has two city wins at Kensington and Rosehill plus a Randwick second in her three-start debut race preparation.

“She had a few issues early days and she only came into work very late. She has done a good job,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“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.

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

Vivy Air had a month between runs and ran an encouraging race second-up to beat all but her stablemate, suggesting she is ready to win.

It's A Knockout! 👊 @clarkyhk and the Dundeel mare go the distance, holding off stablemate Vivy Air to give @cmaherracing a quinella 1️⃣2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/aD31wtqSik

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 31, 2024

Originally published as Progressive mare It’s A Knockout leaves rivals in her wake with all-the-way win at Randwick