VIEWPOINT IS BRISBANE WINTER CARNIVAL MATERAL

LIGHTLY-RACED Viewpoint emerged as Brisbane winter carnival material in making a successful return at Hawkesbury today.

Ridden by Nash Rawiller, the $1.85 favorite was too classy for his rivals in the CG&E Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m), giving Wyong’s Nacim Dilmi his 25^th winner in his first season as Domeland’s head trainer.

Purchased by Domeland for $200,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale, the Wootton Bassett three-year-old has now won two of his four starts.

He didn’t race as a two-year-old, and went back to Hawkesbury for his resumption after breaking through in a 1600m Maiden Handicap there by nearly lengths on December 14 before going for a break.

Allowed to settle in the field of eight, Viewpoint quickly put paid to his rivals once he got clear room in the straight.

He had a widening two and a half lengths’ margin t the end over Noble One ($81) and Wishful Thinker ($6.50).

“Viewpoint gave me a good feel as a middle-distance horse at his first preparation,” Dilmi said this evening en route home.

“I don’t take many horses to trial in town, but took a few to Rosehill Gardens on April 2.

“Viewpoint ran second in a 1000m Open trial, and well-performed mares Arctic Glamour and Lazzura finished behind him.

“Nash (Rawiller) rode him then, and was happy to be on him today.

“The only query was that Viewpoint was going to 1400m first-up after two trials, but it didn’t look the strongest race.”

Dilmi says Viewpoint will go to a 1600m race next, and will ensure the gelding doesn’t get to Queensland on tired legs.

“At this stage I’m not sure whether the Queensland Derby (2400m) or the Q22 (2200m) will be his target,” he said.

“But he is coming up nicely.”

Both features will be run at Eagle Farm; the $1m Group 1 Derby on May 30 and $1.2m Group 2 Q22 a fortnight later.

Whereas the Derby is run for three-year-olds at set weights, the Q22 is a weight-for-age event.

Meanwhile Dilmi has spelled last year’s winner Matcha Latte after his third to Lord Of Biscay in last Saturday’s $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

“Things just didn’t go his way in the run, and he was brave to fight on as he did,” Dilmi said.

“He was quite tired on Sunday morning, but picked up when I took him to the paddock.

“Because of his issues, that’s enough for this preparation as the PMC Final was his goal.

“He isn’t going to Brisbane; we’ll get him back for the spring.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, APRIL 14, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS