A “SPECTACULAR” CITY WIN FOR WYONG GELDING

IT’S not often a horse gets gelded the day after winning a race!

Usually that happens after a lacklustre performance.

However, Wyong trainer Nacim Dilmi’s decision for Is It Spectacular (above) to undergo the unkindest cut of all paid dividends when the Dundeel three-year-old struck winning form again in town at Royal Randwick yesterday.

Given a great ride by Kerrin McEvoy, Is It Spectacular ($5.50) clinched his second city success and made it three wins from 10 starts, in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1500m).

He defeated $4 favorite Perfect Justice and Newcastle trainer Paul Perry’s Forecaster ($15), who made the running though the winner always had him in his sights.

A $260,000 purchase at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale, the Domeland-owned Is It Spectacular had scored at Newcastle on March 31.

“Even though Is It Spectacular won that day, I felt it was best not to give him another start,” Dilmi said today.

“He was gelded the following day.

“It wasn’t that he was colty, but he just wasn’t putting his mind on the job in races.”

Is It Spectacular won a 1000m trial at home nearly a month after being gelded, then was beaten at two subsequent starts (eighth at Warwick Farm on May 6, and sixth at Randwick on May 23).

“He was below par at Warwick Farm, but it was his first run as a gelding,” Dilmi said.

“Then I gave him a pass mark at Randwick and expected him to run well yesterday.

“I was surprised he raced up on the lead as I thought he would settle about fifth or sixth, but Kerrin (McEvoy) summed things up beautifully.”

Is It Spectacular’s victory followed Dilmi’s success with Koios ($6) in last Friday’s Corey Brown Cup (1250m) at Taree.

The rising six-year-old had not won in 15 months when he broke through at Kembla Grange on May 16 in a Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap (1200m).

Apprentice Mitch Stapleford rode the gelding in both wins.

“Full marks to Mitch,” Dilmi said. “Koios isn’t the easiest horse to ride, and Mitch handles him well.

“Koios did a good job at Taree.

“It was a country Benchmark 82, and his rating was well below that.

“However, there are no great plans with him.

“It’s a race by race situation, and we’ll be doing our best to win again with him next time.”

The Koios-Is It Spectacular victories took Dilmi to 33 wins in his first season of training looking after the Domeland operation at the Central Coast.

“We hadn’t won a race for three weeks, and I was beginning to think there might be a virus or something like that going through the stable,” he said.

“Thankfully everything is back on track.”

It wasn’t at Eagle Farm at the Queensland Oaks meeting, but Dilmi’s fellow Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan was successful yesterday with Hellova Nature at the Gold Coast.

The Hellbent five-year-old posted his fourth success for Calibre Racing when he took a Benchmark 65 Handicap (1200m), making it two wins in a row.

Taylor Marshall had the mount on Hellova Nature ($3.80 favorite), who defeated Bruckheimer ($12) and Tribbiani ($5.50).

This was Buchanan’s 339^th career victory, and followed Hellova Nature’s success in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m) at Kembla Grange on May 9.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JUNE 7, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS