“JUPITER” SHOOTING TO BE A PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY CHAMPIONSHIPS STAR

TALENTED Wyong mare Oakfield Jupiter is on the Provincial-Midway Championships trail.

A late riding change didn’t stop her from making it two city wins from as many starts this campaign, and taking her overall record to four wins from five starts.

Newcastle jockey Aaron Bullock was booked to ride Oakfield Jupiter in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens, but forfeited the mount on race morning when he was unable to make her allotted 57.5kg.

RacingNSW stewards, in their official report, indicated they intend to interview Bullock at a later date.

Owner Bruce Mackenzie chose Zac Lloyd as Bullock’s replacement, and the brilliant young jockey gave a great display to overcome Oakfield Jupiter’s wide draw and get her home in a tight finish from Rolling Magic ($7.50) and leading Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price’s $41 bolter Satness.

“We had a few options for a replacement, and Bruce opted for Zac as he had ridden for him previously,” trainer Damien Lane explained today.

“It worked out well. We’ve had two ordinary draws at her last two runs, and the jockeys have produced excellent rides on her.”

Jason Collett (riding at Flemington yesterday) also overcame an awkward alley to score first-up on the mare in a similar class race over 1200m at Royal Randwick on October 25.

“Oakfield Jupiter pulled up well from yesterday’s race, but most probably we will give her a break,” Lane said.

“Having won four races, she can win only one more to remain eligible for the Provincial-Midway Championships in autumn.

“By stopping with Oakfield Jupiter now, we can set her first-up for hopefully that fifth win, and then have a crack at the Championships.

“It’s worth good money and I’m sure with a sit she will run 1400m strongly.

“Oakfield Jupiter has the pace to jump fast and put herself in a position, and then come back underneath her rider.”

A $320,000 buy for Mackenzie (for whom Lane also won with odds-on favorite Oakfield Saturn at Gosford two days earlier) at the 2024 Inglis Classic yearling sale, Oakfield Jupiter is showing the benefit of not being pushed as a two-year-old.

She is unbeaten twice first-up, and also second-up.

Her only “blemish” was when she was thrown in the deep end at the end of her initial racing preparation when again she didn’t draw the best and wasn’t disgraced in finishing 12^th in the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) at the Scone metropolitan meeting in May.

Fellow Wyong trainers Sara Ryan and Nacim Dilmi also were in the winning list, at yesterday’s Hawkesbury meeting.

Ryan clinched her second winner since branching out as public trainer when recent stable arrival Ima Capri (Lee Magorrian) took the Provincial 4YO & Up Maiden Handicap (1100m) at $4.40, whilst Dilmi, who succeeded the former as Domeland’s private trainer at the start of the season, made it two wins in a row with Probability Theory ($3.80 favorite) in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m).

A $40,000 Inglis Classic yearling purchase in Sydney last year, the three-year-old daughter of Microphone is heading in the right direction.

She has now won two of her only three starts, having also put a Provincial Maiden Plate (1300m) at Hawkesbury away on October 25.

Story John Curtis, November 9, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos