Bunbury jockey Damian Lane wins the 2017 Warrnambool Cup

Lane traveled to Warrnambool in Victoria last Thursday to ride High Church in the 2017 Warrnambool Cup.

The Irish stayer was heavily supported to run the $2.40 favourite before scoring by six lengths from Observational with Unfurl another two lengths away third.

The six-year-old held a commanding lead over the race throughout and was far too strong for his rivals in the feature. The victory gave trainer Darren Weir his fourth-straight win in the main race of the three-day Warrnambool carnival. 

Weir told reporters after the race he was proud of Lane’s ride which went exactly as planned. 

High Church is now expected to head to Queensland for a number of key races in the winter series with Lane a solid chance to retain the ride for Weir. 

After his Cup success, Lane flew across to Adelaide on Saturday for the Oaks Day at Morphettville. 

He partnered with pre-race favourite Indian Thunder ($2.90) in the Queen Adelaide Stakes and claimed victory by a short nose. 

The pair were locked in an awkward pocket approaching the final term, stuck in last position on the rail. 

With the pace lifting, Lane was able to find a split behind leader Explicitly but appeared to shift further away from the fence once the two-year-old brown colt found clear running. 

Noel Callow aboard It’s A Myth and Damien Thornton aboard Mintha finished second and third and both lodged protests with the stewards, claiming Indian Thunder’s shift out impeded their chance to win. 

The judges eventually ruled Indian Thunder would remain as the winner. 

The horse had only had one previous start, winning at Bendigo on April 19 by a nose before being relegated to second on a successful protest for shifting out. 

Lane then made his day in Adelaide a winning double, partnering Amelie’s Star ($3.70) to a neck length victory in the Group Two Queen of the South Stakes. 

Lane sat patiently aboard the five-year-old bay mare who has looked close to another win in recent times. 

The pair turned five wide and ground their way to the front in the straight ahead of Have Another Glass and Miles of Krishan. 

The triumphs add to Lane’s 2017 season of wins which include the Group One Australian Cup at Flemington and the BMW Australian Derby at Randwick.