MEET THE “OAKFIELD TWINS” – JUPITER AND SATURN

THEY’RE like peas in a pod!

Sold as yearlings in Sydney, they are both now four-year-old mares, were broken in at the same time, are stabled beside each other and work together, have trialled together, each won their first race only a week apart and have now won four each, and their prizemoney tally is eerily similar (only $700 difference).

Meet the Oakfield “girls” Jupiter and Saturn. Wyong’s Damien Lane prepares the talented mares for owner Bruce Mackenzie – and they will represent the pair in Saturday’s $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

Lane's wife Kate rides “Jupiter” in her trackwork, and his apprentice Anna Roper rides “Saturn”.

She also stays on her in the Final with her owner’s blessing, whilst Jason Collett goes aboard Oakfield Jupiter.

Mackenzie paid $320,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic yearling sale for Oakfield Jupiter (by Toronado) – and she has won four of her seven starts, and earned $183,250.

He had to pay more ($520,000 in fact) to secure Oakfield Saturn (by American Pharoah) at the Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale a couple of months later – and her four wins from 11 starts have yielded $183,950.

Clearly the stars of his stable, Lane today told the story of how he got to train both.

“Bruce had nine two-year-olds (which he had bought as yearlings and were broken in), and three were colts and the remainder fillies,” Lane explained.

“The colts went to Kris Lees at Newcastle, and the fillies were divided between fellow Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan and myself.

“We tossed a coin to decide in what order we would choose the horses, and Kristen won the toss.

“She chose first, and I chose second (Jupiter), fourth (Saturn) and sixth (Oakfield Mars).

“Whilst Oakfield Mars (by Smart Missile) is yet to win though placed three times, Oakfield Jupiter and Oakfield Saturn have been outstanding for us.

“Bruce doesn’t like to rush his horses as two-year-olds, and so Oakfield Jupiter and Oakfield Saturn didn’t race until well into their three-year-old season.

“Oakfield Saturn won a 1200m Gosford Maiden on March 27 last year, and Oakfield Jupiter won her 1000m Maiden at home a week later.”

Lane keeps no more than 20-25 horses in work, and it is indeed a feather in his cap to qualify two for Saturday’s Final.

He devised a plan before Christmas to qualify Oakfield Jupiter early, and she played her part by finishing second to Buffalo in the second heat at Newcastle on February 28.

Her stablemate presented a different challenge.

After Oakfield Saturn won a 1600m Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap at Wyong’s Saturday metropolitan stand-alone meeting on January 10, and knowing she would relish getting over further ground than the 1400m of the Final, Lane freshened her with the aim of qualifying her later in the series.

Again she played her part by finishing strongly to also run second, to Midnight Opal, in the fifth heat at Kembla Grange on March 21.

Lane says that whilst “Jupiter” and “Saturn” are quality mares, they are different types altogether.

“Oakfield Jupiter (who won twice in town over 1200m and 1300m last October-November) is the sharper, and Oakfield Saturn will shine even more once she gets up to distances around 2000m,” he said.

“That’s not say she hasn’t got a good chance in the Final.

“Oakfield Jupiter has drawn barrier two and should get a nice run throughout, whilst Oakfield Saturn has drawn near the outside (14 out of 15), but has sufficient pace to get a position and will be really  suited if the race is run at a decent enough speed.”

This is not the first time the Wyong horseman has been represented in the Final, and recalls another of Mackenzie’s horses, Oakfield Missile, running fourth in both 2019 and 2020.

She was at $81 in 2019 when beaten less than a length in Bobbing’s 2019 Final, and at $13 (after winning a Newcastle Qualifier) in Through The Cracks’ 2020 victory.

“Oakfield Missile got well back in both those Finals, and in the circumstances did well,” Lane said.

“These two mares on Saturday are definitely my best chances to win the annual race and, of course, it would be fantastic to achieve it.

“But I would be especially pleased for Bruce.

“He has been such a fantastic supporter of my stable, and has been with me now for nearly 10 years.

“My first runner for Bruce was Oakfield General (second at $26 in a Gosford Maiden, 1100m on May 4, 2017), and he was also my first winner (a 1400m Maiden Plate at Newcastle on June 17 that year at his third start) for him.

“Bruce always has at least four horses and more in my stable each year.

“We’re going to Randwick on Saturday with two fit mares who are really good hopes.

“Neither mare has raced since qualifying. Oakfield Jupiter brilliantly won a 1200m trial (with Collett in the saddle) at Randwick on March 27, and I haven’t trialled Oakfield Saturn as it’s been a matter of keeping the freshness in her for the 1400m.

“They did their main piece of work at Wyong last Saturday morning, and galloped together again yesterday morning.

“Luck in running in these races often decides the outcome. Let’s hope it’s on our side this time.”

 PHOTO: Oakfield Jupiter (Kate Lane) and Oakfield Saturn (Anna Roper) prior to trackwork at trainer Damien Lane’s Wyong stables on Tuesday morning.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, APRIL 8, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS