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By Ray Hickson

The temptation to rush It’s A Knockout straight back into stakes grade was a real one on the back of her dominant first-up win.

Once the dust settled, as attractive as a month between runs is for a mare of her style, the Ciaron Maher team elected to take a smaller step in the TAB Handicap (1400m) and see if she can repeat the exhibition she put on three weeks ago.

Johann Gerard-Dubord (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said waiting for the Listed Winter Challenge at Rosehill next week was seriously considered but not necessary at this stage.

“She was likely going to be out of the handicap in the Winter Challenge,’’ Gerard-Dubord said.

“We didn’t feel that would be the right call. The extra week was tempting but where she’s at in terms of ratings it would have been the wrong thing to do.

“If she’s going to be up to that we have plenty of time to get there.”

Her win first-up upstaged the Listed performers in the Civic Stakes on that June 21 program where she ran two lengths faster overall time for the 1400m.

It’s A Knockout, $2.60 with TAB on Thursday, is yet to win second-up but last time in she was Group 3 placed at her second run in and Gerard-Dubord said the only thing he would like different is that extra week between runs.

“She can definitely hold her form, it’s whether three weeks is long enough for a horse like her,’’ he said.

“She’s very good fresh, she’s been bobbing along since her run and keeping her fresh for staying at the same trip.

“She had a nice gallop just on the bridle in between runs and she hasn’t taken a step back. Looking at her we couldn’t be any happier, there are no other negatives there.”

For the step to Benchmark 88, It’s A Knockout will carry 1kg less after Braith Nock’s claim than she did first-up.

Given the stable’s desire to space the four-year-old’s runs, it’s likely another win will see her not reappear until some time in August and the vibe is that the best is yet to come from her.

“She’s been stepping up every prep, her first two runs last prep were very good and she’s a Dundeel so she is bred to get better with time too,’’ Gerard-Dubord said.

“The spring comes up fairly quickly so we have time to give her a nice gap between runs and there are plenty of options after that.

“For now she still has that (lower) rating and it looks an ideal race. The right grade, the right trip, hopefully she gets the job done again and goes on to better things.”

Gerard-Dubord would like to think the Maher camp has a strong hand in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1800m) with Piggyback and Federer set to oppose each other again.

The duo ran third and fourth respectively at Rosehill two weeks ago and while it was a curious choice in Piggyback’s case to run from the wider gate compared to the other 1800m event it’s seen as a plus for her.

She’s been a victim of slowly run races and barrier one in her two third placings last month.

“Because of that the wide gate is not the worst thing, it gives you the chance to get going when you want to,’ Gerard-Dubord said.

“She doesn’t have much of a turn of foot and would probably be better with a bit of room like we saw first-up at Warwick Farm.

“We’ll be more positive out of the gates, how forward she’ll be I don’t know but she’ll be able to get going whenever she wants.”

Federer was only second-up when he finished about a neck or so behind Piggyback at Rosehill and Gerard-Dubord said there’s not a lot between the pair with the gelding getting his chance to turn the tables.

“What I like with him is the draw. He does need a bit of room but he can travel a bit strong and at least he can come out neutral, find the bridle and get into a rhythm and be strong late,’’ he said.

It's A Knockout wins at Randwick on June 21

“He had his chance, probably peaked a touch that last bit but he will be fitter for that run.”

Johann Gerard-Dubord on Royal Supremacy (race 6): “We were very happy with him leading into last start. He relaxed well in the run but when Dylan started going for him he wanted to lay in. We changed a few things with him, we had a Norton bit on last start and have taken that off. If we see he best of him he’s good enough to win that race but he might take a bit of time before we get the best out of him.”

On Rise To It (race 6): “I couldn’t be happier with him. His last start was good, arguably the horse couldn’t be going any better but whether he can step up to that grade he will tell us on Saturday. The form out of his last run has been so good and that gives you a bit of confidence.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting