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By Ray Hickson

Just over a week after preparing his first city winner, trainer Nacim Dilmi is eyeing an early stakes breakthrough with emerging filly Probability Theory at Newcastle on Saturday.

Trainer Nacim Dilmi (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The Domeland trainer says it’s being a bit opportunistic by backing the three-year-old up after making it back-to-back Hawkesbury wins last weekend but the chance to run in the Group 3 $250,000 NZB Spring Stakes (1600m) was too good to pass up.

It’s a race that was on Dilmi’s radar before she won a week ago so it’s not a complete throw at the stumps but importantly that win encouraged him to take it on.

“She’s come out of the race in great order,’’ he said.

“I didn’t want to throw her in the deep end so I did the right thing by her and she won so well and pulled up so well.

“The owners said if you want to back her up and try to pick up some black type it’s the right race to do so.

“I never thought it would happen that quickly but while we have the horse we might as well give it a shot.”

Dilmi has trained eight winners from 44 runners since taking over from Sara Ryan at the start of the season with Oceanfront's Randwick win on Big Dance Day his maiden city success.

Probability Theory, $7 with TAB on Friday, has put herself in the race in her two wins at 1300m and Dilmi says stepping up to the mile shouldn’t bother her.

She had an easy gallop over six furlongs on Thursday and Dilmi said she just continues to improve.

“When Tommy (Berry) won on her he said she just switches off and when you ask her to quicken she just does it. And it was similar last start,’’ he said.

“The speed map on Racing NSW is similar to how I think it will be unless she really pings out of the gate and can be one-one.

“Hopefully she can be following the right horses.”

Interestingly, Dilmi rates a horse he knows from his time at Godolphin as the horse to beat in the Spring Stakes.

While he has respect for the Group performed Grand Prairie he feels Green Spaces is a horse with talent who could easily make the leap.

“Obviously Grand Prairie is a black type winner already, but he went to Melbourne and is coming back to Sydney,’’ he said.

“If anything I think the danger is Green Spaces, I’ve had a lot to do with him and I think he’s a fairly decent horse who will appreciate the distance.”

Dilmi is chasing a maiden win for lightly raced mare Emery at Wyong on Sunday in the Mangrove Mountain Memorial Club & Golf Course Town Plate (1100m).

She’s had two runs since Dilmi took over the training with a last start third at Hawkesbury her best effort and he’s expecting her to run well if she can get the right luck in running.

“I just wish she had drawn a better gate because it’d be easier for her to get cover. On her work she can be competitive,’’ he said.

“The last couple of runs she hit the line strongly, the home track will suit and hopefully she can break her maiden.”

Meanwhile, Provincial-Midway Championships winner Matcha Latte may be given the chance to defend his crown in the new year though Dilmi is dreaming of a Doncaster Mile start with him.

The talented gelding, who hasn’t raced since May, has had a number of interruptions to his career and he’ll likely be ready to trial in mid-December.

Probability Theory wins at Hawkesbury on November 8

“He’s had his fair share of issues, so with him it’s a gallop to gallop thing,’’ Dilmi said.

“He gets vetted twice a week and at this stage the vets are very happy with him. I’m not in any rush with him and at this stage he is heading in the right direction to go back to the races.”

Matcha Latte has only raced 17 times for three wins so he’s still eligible for the Championships series, Dilmi said it’s one of many options for the six-year-old with the Carrington Stakes in late January a possible return race.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Newcastle