MATCHA LATTE ON ANOTHER PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY QUEST

IT’S a goer!

Last year’s Provincial-Midway Championships hero Matcha Latte will attempt to successfully defend his “title”.

Wyong trainer Nacim Dilmi today announced the decision has been made to focus on the 2026 series.

“Matcha Latte will run in next Saturday’s Hawkesbury Qualifier (1400m),” Dilmi said.

This race is for eligible provincial-trained horses only, and the first two placegetters will automatically qualify for the $1m Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.

Dilmi had considered both next Friday’s Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) and Sunday’s Listed National Sprint (1400m) at Canberra before opting to go down the proven PMC path.

Matcha Latte is currently $8 second favorite for the Final behind $5 top elect, unbeaten Warwick Farm four-year-old Banjora, who is likely to attempt to qualify via the 1200m Gosford heat on March 14.

Meanwhile, it will be like old times for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle and jockey Koby Jennings at Broadmeadow tomorrow.

Jennings has answered a call to return from his native Victoria to his former base to ride Midnight Opal in the Provincial-Midway Championships Qualifier (1400m).

Doyle and Jennings have been great mates since the former began his training career, and the latter rode regularly for him until he shifted back to country Victoria at the end of the 2024 racing season for family reasons.

“Nathan is not eligible to contest Midway races this season as a result of Private Harry’s deeds (including the Group 1 The Galaxy at Rosehill Gardens) last season,” Doyle’s racing manager David Dyson said today.

“Thus he has concentrated on this Qualifier tomorrow for eligible provincial-trained horses only.

“When he knew he was going to have a few runners in the race, he contacted Koby a fortnight ago and booked him.

“Koby knows Midnight Opal well, having ridden him when he won his first start as a short-priced favorite at Scone in September 2023.”

Jennings, also booked for fellow Newcastle trainer Bec Dunn’s Inferencia in the Dungog Cup Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m), will return home for several rides at Sale on Sunday.

Doyle accepted with four horses in tomorrow’s second Qualifier of the series, but will rely on three – Midnight Opal, Caltsar (stable apprentice Shannen Llewellyn) and Wooloowin (Lee Magorrian).

His other acceptor Mornington Pier instead will race at Canterbury’s final meeting of the night season this evening.

“Both Midnight Opal and Caltsar will appreciate a drop of rain if it arrives,” Doyle said.

“Midnight Opal lines up on the back of his latest second to Cool Jakey at Randwick in early January, and a subsequent Beaumont trial on February 12.

“Wooloowin will race in winkers for the first time.

“She had no luck at all against her own sex at the Gold Coast at the Magic Millions meeting on January 10, and her latest seventh to Cinsault at Randwick on February 7 was better than it may have appeared.

“They ran their last 600m in 33.7 seconds, which made it impossible to make ground from the back that day.”

. A resuming Buffalo (Aaron Bullock) is the early $3.70 favorite with TAB.com.au for tomorrow’s Qualifier, with Midnight Opal ($5), Wooloowin ($5.50), last year’s Final runner-up Lord Of Biscay ($6), and talented Wyong mare Oakfield Jupiter ($6.50) next in a very strong heat.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, FEBRUARY 27, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS