LANE’S HISTORIC OAKFIELD THREE-PEAT QUALIFIERS

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DAMIEN Lane has created rather unusual Provincial-Midway Championships history by qualifying two “Oakfield” horses for a third time in the $1m Final.

The Wyong trainer had already qualified last month’s Newcastle runner-up Oakfield Jupiter for the April 11 feature at Royal Randwick, and added Oakfield Saturn (widest runner above) to his Final team when she also finished second in yesterday’s Kembla Grange Qualifier (1400m).

Oakfield Saturn ($8) finished strongly wide out on the track and just failed to overhaul Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle’s $3.60 joint favorite Midnight Opal; both respectively becoming the ninth and 10^th qualifiers for the Final on Day 2 of The Championships.

Whilst obviously disappointed Oakfield Saturn didn’t quite get the verdict yesterday, Lane was nonetheless elated to again qualify two “Oakfield” horses.

“We had Oakfield Missile (4^th) and Oakfield Twilight (13^th) in the 2019 Final, and then

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Oakfield Missile ran fourth again the following year, and Oakfield Captain ran 10^th,” he said this morning.

“To qualify Oakfield Jupiter and Oakfield Saturn this year is a tremendous result for not only myself and our staff, but also owner Bruce Mackenzie.

“I’m especially pleased to see him have two really good chances in this year’s Final.

“I have been training for Bruce for about 10 years, and on average he has always had around half a dozen horses in my stable each year.

“He paid good money for these two mares (Oakfield Jupiter cost $320,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic sale, and Oakfield Saturn fetched $520,000 at the Inglis Easter sale a couple of months later) as yearlings.

“They are quality mares and standouts in my stable.

“We sat down before Christmas last year and worked out a plan to get both horses into the Final.

“The aim was to have them both at their peak for the Final, and trust their ability to qualify.

“Everything has worked out beautifully.

“Oakfield Jupiter (Jason Collett) is in fantastic order, and will trial at Randwick on Friday.

“With Oakfield Saturn (a rider is yet to be finalised), my job is to ensure she can stay at 1400m on Final day as she is going to really shine once she gets back to 1600m and even to 2000m.

“Oakfield Jupiter is probably best suited at 1400m in the Final, but it is all going to depend on track conditions, the barrier draw and luck in running.

“At least we are going there with two really good mares in form.”

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Lane’s fellow Wyong trainer Tracey Bartley and Kembla Grange’s Theresa Bateup were both winners at yesterday’s meeting.

Bartley took the CG&E Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m) with $3.20 favorite Cuban Cigar, who also was entered for the stronger Provincial-Midway Qualifier.

Bateup not only won the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1400m) with Kitty Okay ($3.60), but also prepared runner-up, $61 outsider Brannum.

This was four-year-old Headwater mare Kitty Okay’s second victory, having broken through, also at home, in a Provincial Maiden Plate (1200m) for four-year-olds and upwards on January 22.

Amy McLucas rode her in both wins.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 22, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS