NEWCASTLE HELPS OUT WITH MATCHA LATTE’S EPSOM PREP
NACIM Dilmi will have his first Group 1 runner at Royal Randwick on Saturday – with help from another race club.
The Wyong trainer has the support of Newcastle Jockey Club to help prepare Matcha Latte for the $1.5m Epsom Handicap (1600m).
Dilmi has confirmed a shot at the Epsom with last year’s Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner, but was stuck to give the gelding a vital grass track gallop tomorrow.
The NJC came to the rescue.
“Wyong is undergoing a track renovation whilst there is a decent break in race meetings, and Newcastle Jockey Club was happy to help me out,” Dilmi said this morning.
“It’s only an hour up the road, and the trip up and back will be good for Matcha Latte.
“I’m not sure if he will gallop on the course proper or Beaumont track, but I’m very appreciative of the NJC’s help.
“I couldn’t be any happier with Matcha Latte.
“He is in great order and deserves his chance to run in a Group 1.
“I’m hoping he can draw a nice barrier.”
With an important grass track gallop tomorrow sorted, Dilmi now has to find a jockey to ride Matcha Latte at his 50kg.
“It’s not easy trying to find the right jockey to ride at that weight in these big races,” he said.
“As of this morning, I haven’t had any luck making a booking, and hopefully that will change before acceptances for the Epsom are taken tomorrow morning.
“If I can’t get a Sydney jockey, I might have to see if Brisbane’s leading rider Ben Thompson will take the mount.”
Newcastle’s Ash Morgan has been Matcha Latte’s regular rider, winning last year’s $1m PMC Final (1400m) on the gelding and also when he ran third to leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Lord Of Biscay in this year’s Final after winning a Qualifier at Hawkesbury.
However, he cannot make his Epsom 50kg.
Matcha Latte is now a seven-year-old, but his 23-start career has been punctuated by injury and a bleeding attack.
He has been placed at both Group 3 assignments at the Epsom venue this season, finishing a first-up third to Midnight InTokyo in the Show County Quality (1200m) on August 22 before a gallant second to General Salute in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) on September 19.
Dilmi in between gave him a tick-over 1030m trial at Rosehill Gardens on September 8 when fourth to Hidden Motive.
Meanwhile, Dilmi made it 41 career wins since joining Domeland’s Central Coast operation as head trainer at the beginning of last season, when Warm Front scored at Port Macquarie yesterday.
Warm Front ($8), ridden by Grant Buckley, upset $1.55favorite Purple Haze in the Super Maiden Handicap (1506m).
The Too Darn Hot four-year-old, who fetched $180,000 as a 2024 Inglis Classic yearling, was having his 10th start, and had been runner-up twice at Taree and Muswellbrook earlier in the year.
“We had to send Warm Front a fair way to win his first race, but hopefully that will now give him confidence to win more races,” Dilmi said.
The three recent Newcastle Gold Cup placegetters – Aethelwulf, Steel Blaze and Bella Montagna – have all been nominated for Saturday’s $750,000 Group 2 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick.
Hawkesbury pair Savvy Hallie (Brad Widdup) and Mal Coupe (Steve O’Halloran) are amongst 221 entries for the $1m Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m).
STORY JOHN CURTIS, SEPTEMBER 28, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS
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