DOMELAND Head Trainer Nacim Dilmi celebrated an important career milestone when talented stayer Oceanfront delivered his first metropolitan victory with a dominant win at Randwick on Tuesday.

Dilmi has enjoyed frequent success since being granted his trainers’ licence and taking control of Domeland’s racing and breeding operation at the start of August, but a city winner had eluded him from his handful of metropolitan runners.

Coming off impressive wins at his past two starts at Newcastle, Oceanfront consigned that statistic to history by bringing up a hat-trick of wins with another eye-catching victory at his first attempt at city grade in an 1800m Midway Benchmark 72.

“I knew the horse had the ability to do that today and they made him work early, but it was good to get the job done,” Dilmi said.

“His last two at Newcastle were pretty dominant and even though he was dropping back in distance, the horse has been feeling so well.

“To finally get the first metro win out of the way and to do it with him is a bit special.”

After making a mess of the start and settling worse than midfield in his two Newcastle wins, Oceanfront flew the gates at Randwick but from his outside barrier he still had to work for the first 500m to take a position outside the leader.

Jockey Dylan Gibbons settled the four-year-old into a comfortable rhythm travelling at the heels of the second favourite Horizons and the gelding was challenging for the lead as the field straightened for home.

The son of Widden Stud’s Group One-winning stallion Trapeze Artist edged clear soon after, before running powerfully through the line to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

“I liked seeing a bit of spice in him today,” Gibbons said.

“He’s your typical lovely stayer, but sticking to 1800m Nacim did the right thing by putting a bit of freshness in his legs

“I was able to sit much closer in the run and it just felt like a matter of point and shoot with him the whole way.

“As you saw today, he did that easy and the further he goes the better he’ll get. Nacim’s doing a great job with him.”

A $130,000 purchase from the Widden Stud draft at 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, Oceanfront’s victory was his fourth from 11 career starts and maintained his unbeaten record in three runs beyond 1650m, underlining his potential as a stayer of the future.

The success took Dilmi’s tally to seven winners from just 41 runners since taking over the Domeland stable. The former Godolphin assistant trainer, who spent more than eight years working alongside James Cummings in his previous role, was full of praise for the operation and its staff as he soaked up the satisfaction of his first metropolitan victory.

“I was taught by the best and I still speak to James once in a while when I need advice,” Dilmi said.

“We’ve got great people that we’re working with. Sammy (Harris), our assistant trainer, she does a fantastic job and she’s got to keep everyone in line – sometimes myself too.

“Things are going well and Domeland are very good to work for, so I couldn’t be happier.”