NO DRAMA SUITS “HARVEY” AT GRAFTON

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THERE was no “drama” about Wyong gelding Harvey’s Turn’s breakthrough victory at Grafton yesterday.

Trainer Damien Lane and his wife Kate bred the lightly-raced Star Turn four-year-old, who at his sixth start won the Maiden Plate (1006m).

“I trained the gelding’s dam, the Street Cry mare Oakfield Ella (who won a 1900m Maiden Plate at Gosford in November 2019) for Bruce Mackenzie, who gave her to us to breed with when her racing career finished,” Lane said enroute home yesterday.

“Her first foal, a colt by All Too Hard, died after birth and this fellow is her second foal.

“Being a fan of the popular US legal drama TV series Suits, I nicknamed him Harvey when he was born after one of the main characters Harvey Specter.”

Ridden by Daniel Smith, Harvey’s Turn ($9.50) chased fellow Wyong trainer Allan Kehoe’s Dream Invader ($6) into the straight, hit the front and then gamely held off his rivals.

He defeated $41 bolter Akaya and his own stablemate Simply Sonnet ($31).

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Lane took the two horses to Grafton yesterday, and was understandably delighted to get Harvey’s Turn off the mark.

“He has always promised to do that,” he said.

“Harvey’s Turn ran well first-up when fourth at Newcastle on August 22, but then disappointed at Wyong at his next run.

“That was my fault. It was only eight days later and I backed him up too quickly.

“Harvey’s Turn had a nice break between the Wyong race and today, and showed the benefit of it.”

Lane also was pleased with stablemate Simply Sonnet’s strong finish into third placing.

“We have been teaching her to settle, and it was satisfying to see her finish off in the manner she did,” he said.

As with Harvey’s Turn, Lane also trained Simply Sonnet’s dam Sonnet Star (also by Star Turn).

He won the 2021 Wellington Boot (1100m) with Sonnet Star (Robbie Dolan) for the Hunter’s Vinery Stud.

Meanwhile, Lane’s talented mare Oakfield Jupiter is on target for her second start this campaign at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday week.

The Mackenzie-owned Oakfield Jupiter, the winner of four of her 11 starts, resumed when eighth to Golden Straand in a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1100m) at Royal Randwick on September 19.

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“I was happy with how she ran,” Lane said.

“It was a day which suited horses on the pace, and she drew awkwardly and was only three and a half lengths from the winner.

“Oakfield Jupiter will come back to a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill.”

. Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees and jockey Andrew Gibbons landed the Grafton closer with Stern Dispute ($9) in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1410m).

Gibbons gave the Australian Bloodstock-raced four-year-old, housed at Lees’ Gold Coast stable, a perfect run in transit and rode him out to overhaul former Hong Kong and Victorian gelding Sunset Trail ($4 favorite) in the closing stages.

Stern Dispute, a son of Astern, has now won two of his seven starts; his first success being in a 1312m Maiden at Taree in February.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, OCTOBER 30, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS