BLINKERS ON SATURN TO HELP MARE “RUN RINGS AROUND RIVALS”

BLINKERS go on Oakfield Saturn as Wyong trainer Damien Lane attempts to make the most of his sole representative at tomorrow’s feature home metropolitan stand-alone meeting.

Stable apprentice Anna Roper takes the mount on the current $4.40 second favorite in the Bronte Simpson Memorial Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m).

“It’s been something we have been thinking about for a while,” Lane said this morning.

“Jason Collett actually suggested Oakfield Saturn would benefit from blinkers after he won on her at Wyong last month.”

Collett also was aboard when the mare started favorite and wasn’t beaten far when fourth in a Midway Benchmark 72 (also over 1600m) at Royal Randwick on December 20.

“Oakfield Saturn was bumped by another runner at the start, and got a bit further back than we had anticipated,” Lane said.

“Her run was good, and she has trained on well since.

“Anna is riding well, and her 2kg city claim tomorrow brings the mare in nicely with only 0.5kg over the limit.

“Oakfield Saturn has drawn a bit sticky, but we’ll be positive from the jump.

“Hopefully Anna can get her into the first four or five in running with cover.

“If we can achieve that, I’m sure she will run very well.”

Lane, who won last weekend’s Gilgandra Cup with Wealthy Investor, has another of owner Bruce Mackenzie’s sizeable ”Oakfield” team (Jupiter) getting ready for a crack at the Provincial-Midway Championships, which begin at Hawkesbury on February 19.

Lane is one of five local trainers with six runners striving to win the Midway, named in memory of the late apprentice Bronte Simpson, who began her apprenticeship at Wyong with Sara Ryan and rode her first winner (Stylebender for fellow local Kristen Buchanan) at Muswellbrook last May at her first ride.

Nacim Dilmi has $3.30 pre-post favorite Charleroi (Kerrin McEvoy), for whom Anna Roper was booked in the $500,000 The Lakes (1600m) before his trainer opted not to tackle the tougher assignment, along with roughie Humanity (Reece Jones).

Buchanan has Stylebender (apprentice Shannen Llewellyn) resuming, Denim Wynen has Alabama Blitz (Ash Morgan), and Wayne Seelin backs up Monty Be Quick (Andrew Adkins) after winning at Taree last Friday.

Sydney’s training supremo Chris Waller has withdrawn Pippie Beach from The Lakes, leaving 12 to run.

Waller, who won the inaugural running 12 months ago with Waterford, still has four representatives; Konasana (Jay Ford), Mare Of Mt Buller (McEvoy), Sun God (Jones) and Chica Mojito (Adkins).

Roper had already been booked for Charleroi in The Lakes when she was approached to ride ne of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s two runners, Townsend and Collect Your Cash.

Victorian jockey Teo Nugent makes the trip interstate to partner Townsend, and Louis Beuzelin rides Collect Your Cash.

Course manager Phill Robinson this morning posted a “Good 4” rating for the 10-race program which begins at 11.05am, and says he will put sufficient irrigation on the track to ensure that rating is maintained during the course of the meeting given the forecast very hot conditions.

With the earlier start than normal, Wyong general manager Greg Purcell has announced gates will open at 10.15am.

Illawarra Turf Club’s corresponding provincial meeting tomorrow will proceed as planned, with the first race at 12.55pm and last of seven at 4.40pm.

The rail is 3m out from the 1100m to winning post, and in the TRUE position for the remainder of the circuit.

RacingNSW’s Level 2 of the Hot Weather Policy will be in force throughout the meeting.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JANUARY 9, 2025 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS