While dual Midway winner Oakfield Jupiter is getting ready for the Provincial-Midway Championships, trainer Damien Lane hopes her best mate Oakfield Saturn can pick up where she left off at Randwick on Saturday.
The Wyong trainer is eyeing a Midway Handicap (1600m) hat-trick, he’s not had a Midway runner since Oakfield Jupiter’s wins in October and November, and he feels the pair are equally as talented.
Oakfield Saturn is making her city debut having won two of her past four starts.
“She’s a lovely mare, her and Oakfield Jupiter came through the system together,’’ Lane said.
“They work together, they live in boxes side by side. They are the two most promising horses I’ve got and they’ve both done good jobs.
“This mare is one I think will stretch out a bit further in trip. The only blemish on her was Gosford two starts ago and the race wasn’t run to suit, other than that her form is hard to fault.”
The four-year-old, $6 with TAB on Thursday, made up for that Gosford blemish with an easy win over the mile on her home track on December 10 and while she was expected to win Lane was impressed with how she went about it.
“When Jay (Ford) took off (on the runner-up) she was left flat footed but to her credit she picked them up and was strong through the line,’’ he said.
“I would have had no hesitation going up in trip but this Midway looks a good option with her rating.
“She drops 2.5kg on the win the other day, if I had a query it’s the 10 day back up which is something I haven’t done before.
“But she came through the race really well and she should line up in really good order.”
Lane is taking an open mind about how he’ll ask Jason Collett to approach the Midway, if he does offer any instruction at all, and he’s not concerned if she has to take up the running.
That was the original plan going into her Wyong win but she adapted to Lane’s liking when the scenario changed.
“Jason, to his credit the other day, summed it up and said he’d lead,’’ he said.
“Then she had a bit of pressure so he elected to take a sit but in that race on Saturday if there is no speed she’ll be able to take it up.
“Jason can dictate as to what the speed is like, I’m sure she’ll be in the first four or five.
“She has a beautiful action and a great attitude, she saves all her energy, out in trip definitely will be an advantage. She’s only had eight starts and four this prep already so I probably won’t go to the well too many times.
“I still think she will improve again next preparation, I don’t know what level she’s going to get to but she hasn’t reached her level yet that’s for sure.”
Meanwhile, Oakfield Jupiter is back at the stable with Lane planning one run into a Provincial-Midway Championships Qualifier at the end of February.
She was rested after making it four from five when beating subsequent Nowra Cup winner Rolling Magic at Rosehill in early November and spent three weeks in the paddock and another week on the treadmill.
“She’s put on 20kg and looks really good. She’s a proper nice horse,’’ Lane said.
“She’s naturally a fit mare, you could almost take her back to the races now but we have a bit of time up our sleeve.
“She’ll have one trial into a 1200m race at Randwick which is three weeks before the 1400m heat at Newcastle.
By Ray Hickson