Jason Deamer mare Rapt books ticket into Provincial-Midway Championships Final

Classy mare Rapt saluted at big odds in the opening heat of the Provincial-Midway Championships at Hawkesbury.

Underrated mare Rapt became the first horse to punch her ticket to the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final with a slashing effort to win the opening heat at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

Jason Deamer’s classy daughter of More Than Ready unleashed a powerful turn of speed to run away with the $150,000 Provincial-Midway Championships Qualifier (1400m).

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Jockey Tim Clark settled near the rear of the field on Rapt before easing the talented four-year-old out to the centre of the track at the top of the straight.

Rapt ($23) showed her class from there to race away for a comfortable win from the Kim Waugh-trained Bojangles ($12).

The runner-up also booked her spot into the lucrative final on April 13 while Art Volant ($41) was third.

It was a mighty training effort from Deamer, who had freshened Rapt up after the mare ran over 1800m when finishing seventh last start in The Wave at the Gold Coast.

“After the Gold Coast we picked this race out so we decided to give her a week in the paddock and just went from there,” Deamer said.

“We just had to keep her on the fresh side with the 1400m and while it’s only 200m, a mile is her pet distance.

“So we kept her very fresh and she’s worked a treat.

“I couldn’t believe the price today.”

Rapt shows a brilliant turn of foot to win the Provincial-Midway Qualifier at Hawkesbury! @clarkyhk@Dynamic_WONITpic.twitter.com/ch7EOXUbQy

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 20, 2025

Rapt’s pet distance is over the mile and the Newcastle conditioner will decide in the coming weeks if she will run again before the final.

“We’ll have a look into it and work out a plan whether we have another run in three weeks or keep her fresh for it,” Deamer said.

“We could just wait and aim up for the Final as her next start but we’ll wait and see.”

Rapt was $26 into $15 to win the Provincial-Midway Final while Bojangles was $26 into $11.

Originally published as Jason Deamer mare Rapt books ticket into Provincial-Midway Championships Final