Lindsay Park, under the guidance of Ben, Will and J D Hayes, has claimed a vital success with Oak Hill’s Caulfield conquest in 2026.
This sprinter’s result in Saturday’s Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) was the first for the stable in metro ranks following the January 21 Sandown pair from Vivacissimo and Crocodile.
The month of January was testing for Lindsay Park, hit by on-track woes and the destructive bushfires across Victoria that torched extensive sections of their Lindsay Park estate, prompting horse evacuations.
Oak Hill’s win proved perfectly timed amid the hardships at the Creighton’s Creek training site, as per J D Hayes.
Oak Hill ($4.60), piloted by Damian Lane, edged out Don’t Hope Do ($9) by a long head, with $2.70 elect Hedged settling for third, 1-¼ lengths behind.
“We are definitely happy to put January behind us and that was a terrific effort,” Hayes said.
“I thought he put the writing on the wall last start with his return run. We’ve taken all the gear off his head and he’s just starting to really learn his craft.
“He’s a late learner and a horse that we inherited from the late, great, Mike Moroney and he is getting better each preparation.
“And it’s great to get Damian Lane back on board. He won quite a few races on him and it’s always good to get a winner for Rupert Legh in those colours.”
Hayes revealed the handicap Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 21 could be next for Oak Hill.
Lane boasts an excellent record with the gelding, securing five of his eight wins aboard the sprinter.
The jockey is optimistic about Oak Hill navigating the Oakleigh Plate frenzy if chosen by the Hayes siblings.
“He’s always had the talent and you can put him a touch closer and he’s got the turn-of-foot still,” Lane said.
“He’d handle it (Oakleigh Plate) well. He’s got that experience now in short course racing, hustle and bustle, and now that he’s more mature in the mind that’ll help him, and it will set up well.”
Race enthusiasts can find competitive odds in the racing betting markets for events like the Oakleigh Plate.
The post Oak Hill lands timely Lindsay Park win first appeared on Just Horse Racing.
