07/02/2025

TALENTED Domeland four-year-old Koios lived up to his namesake with a dominant maiden victory at Scone on Thursday.

Sharing his title with the Greek Titan of intelligence and wisdom, Koios exposed himself as a similarly smart individual when he delivered on his early promise to register an effortless three-and-a-quarter-length victory at just his fourth career start.

Sent out a long odds-on favourite on the strength of an unlucky first-up fourth in a $100,000 maiden at Canterbury, Koios was always in control at Scone, sitting outside the leader Yes Kiss before jockey Keagan Latham allowed the gelding to stroll clear in the final 200m.

“To come here and get the job done is just wonderful,” Latham said.

“He’s a lovely horse. He does everything right and he travelled nicely.

“He comes back to you and when you ask for an effort, he just quickens up. I didn’t really have to give him too much of a shakeup today.”

Latham has been a fan of Koios for some time, having partnered the son of Impending when he was placed at both his runs during his first campaign last year.

Koios signalled his talent with an eye-catching performance at Wyong on debut, where he settled back from a wide gate and struck interference at a crucial stage before charging late to be beaten a neck.

“If you saw his first run ever at Wyong, it was enormous,” Latham said.

“He got lost early doors and flashed home, which is a rarity at Wyong. He gave me a good feel that day and it’s nice to see him come on from that effort.”

Domeland’s Head Trainer Sara Ryan spoke highly of Koios’s development and improving maturity between preparations before he was sent out favourite first-up this campaign at Canterbury.

A $200,000 purchase from the Blue Gum Farm draft at 2022 Melbourne Inglis Premier Sale, Koios was trapped wide just off the speed that day but still kicked clear and looked the winner in the straight before being nailed close to the line.

The strength of that effort and weaker opposition over 1200m at Scone saw punters back the four-year-old from $1.55 into $1.28 at the jump, and Koios did not disappoint.

A half-brother to city winners Nanagui and Twist of Fury, Latham is confident Koios can at least match his older siblings by eventually graduating to metropolitan grade.

“He obviously ran an enormous race in town the other day and he gave me a good feel in his last prep too,” Latham said.

“I felt that he was probably at the very least a midweek (city class) horse.

“Sara has given him a little bit of time to grow up as well, which is definitely a blessing in disguise. I think he’s going places.”