“WARHORSE” MATCHA LATTE DILMI’S FIRST PMC FINAL RUNNER

WYONG’S Nacim Dilmi will have his first runner in next month’s $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final in his maiden season as a trainer.

But he says he wasn’t sure how to handle yesterday’s easy Hawkesbury Qualifier winner Matcha Latte when he took over as Domeland’s head trainer last August at the beginning of the current racing year.

Matcha Latte’s victory earned him the chance to create history by becoming the first horse to win back-to-back PMC Championships since the autumn feature was inaugurated in 2015.

Domeland’s former trainer Sara Ryan won last year’s Final (1400m) with the gelding after qualifying by taking a Newcastle heat just over three weeks earlier.

The now six-year-old gelding’s career has been interspersed with a number of setbacks, including a serious tendon injury, bleeding attack and feet issues, meaning he has remained eligible again for the series; yesterday being only his 20^th start.

“There was real concern that Matcha Latte might not race again after his Brisbane winter carnival campaign ended prematurely last year,” Dilmi said today.

“He always had feet issues, and that stopped him progressing any further in Brisbane after he ran in the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben on May 24.

“Matcha Latte had a good spell and long rehab, and I wasn’t sure how to handle him when he came back into the stables.

“Fortunately, my assistant trainer Samantha Harris (who was also Ryan’s assistant) and the farriers knew the horse well, and were a tremendous help to getting him back into racing trim.”

Matcha Latte resumed when third in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on January 24 and then things didn’t altogether go his way when sixth in a 1400m Listed Handicap at Flemington on February 14.

Dilmi initially thought about tackling the Newcastle Qualifier (won by Buffalo) yesterday week with Matcha Latte, but felt waiting another week was best after his return trip to Melbourne.

It was a wise move.

In racing parlance, Matcha Latte (Ash Morgan) was a “handicapping certainty” under the set weights conditions – and won accordingly.

“I told Ash to make sure Matcha Latte knew he was there to race,” Dilmi said.

“I didn’t want him to have an easy run and win by a length.

“Matcha Latte is a real warhorse. It’s terrific to have my first runner in the Provincial-Midway Final.”

Morgan partnered Matcha Latte in last year’s Final, and will now get the chance to create history on him.

He bounced hotpot Matcha Latte ($1.40) away smartly and led throughout to score by just over two and a half lengths from a strong-finishing Newcastle mare Miss Busslinger ($13), giving five times Final winner Kris Lees his first qualifier so far this year.

Dilmi stayed in Sydney overnight en route to Canberra’s Black Opal Stakes meeting today, but got a good report from assistant trainer Harris this morning that the gelding had pulled up well.

“I haven’t had a good look at the programs, but most likely I won’t run him again before the Final,” Dilmi said.

“He is sound at present, and it’s best to keep him fresh for April 11.”

Matcha Latte firmed to outright favoritism at $4.50 after Dilmi announced on Provincial RacingNSW last Friday week that it had been decided to chase the PMC Final for a second year on end.

TAB.com.au shortened him even further to $3 following his Hawkesbury victory.

Dilmi and fellow Wyong trainer Kim Waugh were the provincial winners at Hawkesbury, book-ending the program.

Waugh won the opener, the Provincial Maiden Plate (1100m), with Blue Suede Hooves ($6), who broke through at his 11^th start, defeating her home track compatriot Sara Ryan’s debutante Waveton ($1.85 favorite).

Meanwhile Lord Of Biscay, who ran second to Matcha Latte in last year’s Final, will seek a 2026 rematch when he attempts to qualify in Saturday week’s Kembla Grange heat, with the proviso that the track is dry.

. The latest TAB.com.au market on the Provincial-Midway Championships Final is:

3 Matcha Latte (Q)

6 Banjora

8 Buffalo (Q), Oui Oui Oui (Q)

11 Hyperbolic, Meridiana, Miss Busslinger (Q), Octa De Lago (Q)

15 Aisle Two, Imposant, Lord Of Biscay, Lady Extreme, Miss Spacegirl, Oakfield Jupiter (Q)

# Q denotes Qualified for Final.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 8, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS