14/04/2025

DOMELAND celebrated their most satisfying success since entrusting their team to Head Trainer Sara Ryan when Matcha Latte scored a fighting win in the $1 million Provincial Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

While the win of Attractable in the 2023 Big Dance may have been more lucrative, no victory has been more rewarding than Matcha Latte’s success following the patience and perseverance shown by Domeland to bring the gelding back to his best after a series and injuries and setbacks.

“Matcha Latte’s broken my heart more times than once but we love him,” Ryan said.

“I’ve always known his ability. As a provincial trainer, this is our championship so to come out here and win it with a horse like him after so many issues is fantastic.”

Matcha Latte was among several star gallopers Ryan inherited when she was installed as Domeland’s private trainer during the 2022/23 racing season.

Since the start of that season, Ryan has accumulated more than 50 winners and just under $6 milllion in total prizemoney, vindicating the faith Domeland placed in her when they centralised their racing operation under her care.

“If you asked me three years ago if I’d be training horses, I probably would have laughed at you a bit,” Ryan said.

“For Domeland to put a lot of money and a lot of trust into me … that comes with a huge amount of pressure, but their support has given me the confidence to do what I do.

“I have very good people around me, which really, really helps.”

Domeland’s Managing Director King Cheng was full of praise for Ryan and her staff following Matcha Latte’s gritty win on Day Two of The Championships.

“It feels wonderful, it’s a credit to the entire team, they’ve all worked so hard on this horse and it’s just wonderful to see that all pay off today,’’ he said.

“It’s a credit to our entire organisation that this horse was even given the chance to be here today, let alone winning.

“This was the right race for him, it’s a race where class usually stands up and it did today, so I’m very proud of him and very proud of the team.’’

From a kind draw jockey Ashley Morgan positioned Matcha Latte right behind the leaders before issuing his challenge shortly after turning for home.

The Domeland five-year-old and race favourite Lord of Biscay paired off at the 250m to fight out the finish, with Matcha Latte digging deep to hold off his rival and win by a long head.

A $150,000 purchase from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Matcha Latte proved himself one of the leading 3YOs in Australia for his former trainer Mark Newnham, placing behind the likes of Golden Mile, Osipenko and Sharp ‘n’ Smart at Group level before injury hampered his career.

Ryan took control of Matcha Latte’s preparation two years ago this month when Newnham moved to Hong Kong, but that first heartbreak was just around the corner.

“The first run he had for me was in the Carbine Club (in April 2023) and after that he did a 70% lesion of his tendon,” Ryan reflected after Saturday’s win.

“I was told he would never return to racing, (the tendon) was almost completely gone.

“We took 15 months to rehab him and after a long, long time we got him back.

“We got him ready for the Cameron Hcp (at Newcastle in September last year) where he ran a fantastic race, only for him to bleed at his next trial after that.”

Despite the numerous heartbreaks, Ryan retained her faith in Matcha Latte’s potential, knowing he just needed time and the best of care to return to his best.

“I pre-trained him for Mark and he’s always shown talent as a young horse,” Ryan said.

“I’ve known him since we first bought him and that’s why I took the time with him.

“He’s one of those horses who is very, very sensible in his nature, and that’s the only reason he was able to come back the way he did.”

Saturday’s victory was Ryan’s second feature race win for Domeland at Randwick after her success with Attractable in the $3 million Big Dance 18 months ago.

She said Matcha Latte would now be given his chance to emulate his stablemate, with a Big Dance qualifying race likely to be his next assignment on the path to a tilt at the $3 million Group 1 Stradbroke Hcp at Eagle Farm on June 14.

“He has pulled up fantastic,” Ryan said.

“He was bucking around his paddock this morning, you wouldn’t know he ran yesterday.

“I’m just going to see what he does for the next week. In the back of my mind, the target is The Stradbroke but we’re going try and qualify him for the Big Dance – I think that will be the goal.

“We’ll probably look to maybe a Scone Cup or something like that (for his next start).”

Matcha Latte banked $654,000 with the third win of his 15-start career in the Provincial Midway Championships Final, taking his overall earnings beyond $1 million.

But Ryan admitted Saturday’s success provided more satisfaction than money could buy, rating it the highlight of her short training career.

“(It sits) definitely at the top,” she said.

“Obviously Attractable was fantastic in the Big Dance but this … to get a horse back that I was told I’m wasting my time with …. he just wants to be here, that’s why I gave him the time and it’s just fantastic.”