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By Ray Hickson

A second Big Dance is on trainer Sara Ryan’s radar with Provincial-Midway Championships winner Matcha Latte and she’s eyeing valuable eligibility via Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m).

Trainer Sara Ryan (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Ryan won the $3 million race two years ago with Attractable and, with due respect to that horse, says Matcha Latte is a rung above which makes him an ideal horse for the race in November.

It’s been well documented the issues Ryan has had getting the gelding back to the races and to sustain a preparation and she said now he’s won the Provincial-Midway Championships it’d be great to have a shot at the Big Dance.

“That was our target and anything he does on top of it is a bonus, I’ve been very proud of the team to keep him up and going,’’ Ryan said.

“The Big Dance is the main drawcard for us. Attractable was honest, as honest as they come, but Matcha is more talented.

“I look at Gringotts last year, yes he’s gone on to do better things, and he is as honest as that horse. As long as we don’t push his benchmark too high he will be very competitive in a Big Dance.”

Of course, Matcha Latte has to earn that spot by winning at Hawkesbury or in another eligible race through the year.

The five-year-old hasn’t seen a wet track since he ran second in the 2023 Carbine Club Stakes but to be fair to him in the subsequent two years he’s only raced four times.

Ryan said with 53.5kg and a rain affected track it will give him a great chance to continue on his winning way.

“He loves it, he gets through it I do know that,’’ she said.

“I put the nom in for the Group 1 (All Aged) but I thought it wasn’t the right thing for him. So we’ll go here and if he comes through this we could go to Queensland with him.

“He might never reach Group 1 level but he should have black type to his name that’s for sure.

“He’s lightly raced and should be carrying more weight but because he is lightly raced he gets in fairly cheaply.”

If there’s an asset Matcha Latte has that Ryan sees as an advantage at Hawkesbury, where he was $4.80 with TAB on Wednesday, it’s his ability to adapt to whatever the jockey wants in a race.

He led to win the Provincial-Midway Qualifier while he sat off the speed to win the final and with a designated leader in the Hawkesbury Cup that ability is a handy tool for Ash Morgan to use.

“He is the most versatile horse I’ve ever trained,’’ Ryan said.

“You can put him wherever you need to, he’ll do what you need, and I guess with Punch Lane in two he might just sit behind the speed.

“At Hawkesbury on a wet track you probably don’t want to be on the fence.

Matcha Latte wins the Provincial-Midway Championships Final

“His coat is gleaming, he’s got dapples, he’s kicking his heels up at home.

“If I didn’t think he was ready I would put him away and bring him up later. He’s done enough already but he’s asking to do more.”

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