LANE’S PROMISING MARE PUTS HIM BACK IN CITY SPOTLIGHT

DAMIEN Lane’s confidence for an overdue return to the city winning list was sapped a little when Oakfield Jupiter drew off the track for her first Sydney appearance at Royal Randwick yesterday.

But he need not have been concerned at all.

Skilfully handled by Jason Collett, the promising four-year-old mare made a brilliant resumption at her first attempt at 1200m, and took her record to three wins from four starts with an impressive performance in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap.

A $5 joint favorite, the daughter of Toronado surged clear in the straight and defeated Motoscafo ($8) and Zoukerino ($21).

It’s been lean pickings of late for the popular Wyong trainer, whose only previous winner this season was Singing Star at Tamworth on August 29.

Lane couldn’t recall his last city winner, and he had not saddled a runner in town since July 5 when Sneaky Sofia ($21) led and ran eighth to Newcastle mare African Daisy in a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens.

But he was looking forward to putting his name back in the spotlight when he readied Oakfield Jupiter for a first-up tilt at Randwick.

“She had been going so well at home that I told her owner Bruce Mackenzie that I was confident she would be very hard to beat if she drew in the first six,” Lane said today.

“However, my confidence was knocked a bit midweek when she drew barrier 15 in a field of 14 plus two emergencies.

“At least with four scratchings and 12 runners, she came into 11.

“Oakfield Jupiter did a really good job considering she didn’t get any luck in the run.

“I thought she got cover watching the race, but Jason said afterwards that didn’t happen, so it added merit to her performance.”

Lane, who posted his 324^th career winner, believes Oakfield Jupiter can measure up to next autumn’s Provincial-Midway Championships series.

“She ran 1200m at her first try yesterday without cover, and I feel she will run 1400m for sure with a sit, and Jason agrees,” he said.

“I would like to give her three weeks between runs, but it’s The Hunter meeting at Newcastle and the Midway is 1600m.

“Depending on how she does, I might start her in a 1300m Midway at Rosehill on Saturday week, or wait until The Gong meeting at Kembla Grange on November 22 for a 1400m Midway.

“Oakfield Jupiter is a mare I have liked all along, and Bruce (Mackenzie) is always patient with his young horses.”

Lane carefully planned Oakfield Jupiter’s Sydney debut, firstly trialling her at Newcastle on September 24 when second over 800m, and then at Randwick on October 7 when she again ran second in an Open 1050m heat.

“I wanted the same jockey for her resumption to also get a feel of her in the Randwick trial,” Lane explained.

“I was keen to get Jason (Collett) and when he already had another booking in the trial, his manager Bryan Haskins thankfully was able to switch him to Oakfield Jupiter.

“Jason was impressed with her that day, and it definitely helped having him on come raceday.”

Lane is running a more streamlined operation these days, keeping 20 horses in work in one barn at Wyong.

“I used to have two barns with 45 horses, but quite a few were making up the numbers,” he said.

“I can still float in a few of the older horses from our farm to gallop at Wyong.”

Fellow Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan’s opinion of her lightly-raced three-year-old Tambeloa was justfified, even though he didn’t win at Randwick yesterday.

A despised $201 rank outsider, the Tagaloa colt gave a ton of cheek, taking up the running in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) before finishing fourth to second favorite Attica ($4).

Tambeloa, a midweek Warwick Farm 1600m winner against older horses in July, was having only his sixth start yesterday – and third this preparation – and looks to have a bright future.

. Newcastle apprentice Will Stanley finally got a reward for all his travelling in the last few days when he scored on Newcastle trainer Paul Perry’s Backward Glance ($4.20) in the Class 1/Maiden Plate (1812m) at Port Macquarie today.

Perry also took the Class 2 Handicap (1206m) with Edge Of Midnight (Ben Looker).

Stanley had his first rides at Friday night’s Gold Cup meeting at The Valley in Melbourne, and flew back home early yesterday morning to ride at Kembla Grange later in the day.

Stanley’s master, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees missed out on winning the $1m Callander-Presnell (1600m) at Randwick with a luckless runner-up Rivellino, but was successful with the consistent Imposant ($6) in the Class 6 Handicap (1350m) at Doomben against her own sex.

Story John Curtis, October 26, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos