KOIOS’ KEMBLA BREAKTHROUGH EVOKES MEMORIES OF LEGENDARY TRAINER

KOIOS’ overdue breakthrough at Kembla Grange yesterday had a special touch to it.

Notwithstanding the fact that there had been a gap of 15 months between the five-year-old gelding’s first and second wins, his trainer Nacim Dilmi had an interesting tale to relate.

Koios, a son of 2017 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Impending, fetched $200,000 when secured by Domeland as a 2022 Inglis Premier yearling in Melbourne.

His dam is the Shamardal mare Shamalia – and that’s where the storyline arises.

“Shamalia was the last runner (at Caulfield in early 2014) for Bart Cummings AM from his Saintly Place (named after the “horse from heaven” with whom he won the 1996 Melbourne Cup) in Melbourne before the stables closed,” Dilmi said today.

“I was fortunate to start work with Bart in 2010 until his death in August 2015 and, of course, also with his grandson James, who trained jointly with Bart for a time and then in his own right after Bart’s passing.”

The legendary trainer, who won an amazing record 12 Melbourne Cups, would have been proud of Dilmi’s efforts to get Koios back into the winning list yesterday.

Ridden by apprentice Mitch Stapleford, Koios ($7.50) took the Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap (1200m) from Kembla Grange pair, Mitch Beer and George Carpenter’s $3.80 favorite Peleus and Therea Bateup’s Hunter One ($9).

Koios’ only previous success was at Scone in February last year when he romped home in a Provincial Maiden Plate (1200m).

“Koios has his issues,” Dilmi said.

“He bled at Wyong last October, and isn’t the soundest horse in the stable, and yesterday was his third run back from an enforced break.

“He isn’t the easiest horse to ride as he can be pretty strong in a race if you don’t control him.

“Mitch did a great job to win on him.

“Koios was a benchmark 61 rater yesterday when he won a Benchmark 68, so I hope he isn’t treated harshly by the RacingNSW handicappers.”

Whilst Koios returned to the winning list, Dilmi was disappointed with stablemates Viewpoint ($4.80 favorite) and Aix En Provence ($8.50), who were both unplaced behind fellow Wyong trainer Damien Lane’s impressive Oakfield Saturn in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1700m) at Scone.

“Kerrin McEvoy rode Viewpoint and afterwards said he was very one-paced,” Dilmi said.

“I had hoped to take him to Brisbane for some nice races, but that seems most unlikely now.”

There was much more encouraging news in regard to the Brisbane carnival with Probability Theory, who won a 1200m trial at Randwick last Friday and is definitely heading north with the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 6 her main target.

“Probability Theory (a last start Kensington winner) is a very promising filly who has won four of her six starts,” Dilmi said.

“She is flying at present, and will be nominated for two races at Doomben on Saturday.

“They are the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) against her own sex at set weights, and the Magic Millions Mares Mile.

“I’ll have a look at both races once we see the weights, but at this stage I’m probably leading toward the latter, where she will get a light weight against older mares and would be going from 1300m last time to 1600m rather than 2000m.”

. Kembla Grange trainers Ross McConville and Diane Poidevin Laine flew the flag for the locals at home yesterday.

McConville won the opener, the Midway Maiden Plate (1600m), with $3.30 favorite Wormington (Keagan Latham), and Poidevin Laine the CG&E Maiden Handicap (1200m) with debutante and $21 chance Our Vinny (Pierre Boudvillain).

MConville took visors off $80,000 Inglis Premier yearling buy Wormington for his eighth start, and substituted blinkers.

Our Vinny, a Headwater three-year-old, cost only $6000 when purchased online in 2023.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MAY 17, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS