As the field straightened for home in Saturday’s Midway Hcp Oakfield Waratah seemed happy enough to chug along behind the leader Lemaire. The lightly raced four year old suddenly “switched on” when Reece Jones eased him into clear space. It was just the signal he needed to sweep past Lemaire, and comfortably hold late closers Miss Faberge and Gracias Amigo. Right on the line he had one ear forward and one ear back - a sure sign he was under no real stress.
Despite the discomfort of a heavy bout of flu, trainer Kristen Buchanan was able to muster a pretty boisterous cheer as the lightly raced four year old charged to the line full of running. Perhaps Kristen was expressing her delight that Oakfield Waratah had provided her eighth metropolitan Midway win since the series began in July of 2021. The Rosehill Gardens meeting on July 1st, will mark the second anniversary of a concept suggested by Warwick Farm trainer Greg Hickman. How freakishly coincidental it was that Hickman won that inaugural Midway Hcp with Our Bellagio Miss. The prize money was $100,000 with a $46,000 win purse. Saturday’s edition carried $120,000 with a win purse of $55,000 - a massive hike in just two years.
Oakfield Waratah gives his trainer an 8th metro Midway win - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Kristen and Kim Waugh continue to go stride for stride on the Saturday metro Midway trainer’s ladder with eight wins apiece. By a massive coincidence both trainers operate from the well-regarded Wyong training precinct. Kristen prepares forty five horses from two barns, while Kim and Damien Lane are working teams of forty. Wyong Racecourse Manager Phil Robinson reports a total of two hundred and twenty horses are housed on course with another fifty domiciled at nearby properties. Kristen’s Midway wins have been provided by Casino Mondial (2 wins), Pandora Blue (2 wins), Oakfield Arrow (3 wins including the Four Pillars), and Oakfield Waratah on Saturday. Neither Kristen nor Kim can afford to rest on their laurels with Nathan Doyle and David Payne hot on their heels with seven Midways each.
Kristen with Reece Jones who continues to ride winners without a claim - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The “Oakfield” prefix forms part of the names of all horses bred or purchased by retired Hunter Valley businessman Bruce Mackenzie. When combined with his easily identifiable lime green and gold racing colours, there can be no doubt the horses in question have spent part of their lives at his property “Oakfield” situated at Salt Ash between Newcastle and Nelson Bay. Over a period of time Bruce has installed a treadmill, starting gates and swimming facilities and supervises all breaking in and pre training activities. Perhaps the principal reason for Bruce’s continued success is that he steadfastly refuses to race his horses as two year olds.
Oakfield Waratah was clearly on the small side when purchased for $175,000 by Bruce Mackenzie at the 2019 Magic Millions Weanling Sale. He landed in the right place by falling into the hands of a patient owner. Bruce got him back to “Oakfield” and left him alone until the colt looked mature enough to be broken in. Kristen Buchanan recalls there were issues along the way. “He suffered with ulceration in both eyes at one stage, and Bruce had to look after him with great care,” said the trainer. “He was a December three year old before we gave him a quiet barrier trial, after which we turned him out again. He still looked immature when he resumed six months later. He was unplaced twice and we stopped again.”
The slow maturing gelding was unplaced first up at Hawkesbury in October but showed marked improvement to win a Wyong maiden by an emphatic three lengths a couple of weeks later. He did a few things wrong when third to Bat Out Of Hell in a Cl 1 on his home track in late November still showing a tendency to make the hometurn awkwardly. “You could only put it down to immaturity and inexperience,” said Kristen. “It’s essential that horses need to be in full flight by the hometurn at Wyong or you’re not in the race. He’d be fine throughout the race, but would lose his rudder on the point of the turn. We decided to give him another break.”
Oakfield Waratah was a $14.00 chance when he resumed in a BM 64 at Wyong on May 11th. He raced outside the leader Budhwar to the turn and was actually carried out slightly by that horse on the corner. Jockey Koby Jennings helped him around the bend before pressing the button. After scooting away at the top of the straight, Oakfield Waratah held on to beat favourite Rocstar Boy by just under a length.
Oakfield Waratah (Koby Jennings) wins a BM 64 at Wyong despite racing greenly - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
He was up to his old tricks again three weeks later when third to Windshadow and Trust The Process in a 1350m BM 64 on home turf. “He took off three wide to join the leaders at the 500m, before getting on the wrong leg coming around the corner,” said Kristen. “It was getting very frustrating by this time. Although he’s trained on the track he has great difficulty handling the hometurn. Did you see the difference at Rosehill on Saturday. He didn’t put a foot wrong and won his Midway impressively.
“This horse might confound the breeding buffs down the track. I realise he’s by Dissident who won five Gr 1’s but couldn’t get beyond a mile, and his dam Lucky Can Be won only twice over short trips. She’s a half sister to Ofcourseican who’s the dam of the good stayer Persan. That horse could stay all day. He won eight races and was placed in a Caulfield Cup. He also ran a close up fifth in Twilight Payment’s Melbourne Cup. Oakfield Waratah races like a stayer. He comes straight off the bridle when asked to relax and that’s going to be a big plus when we step him up in distance later.”
The popular trainer hopes to have two more “Oakfields” in the 1100m Midway at Royal Randwick next Saturday. She intends to accept with Oakfield Triumph and Oakfield Duke. The former has improved sharply this preparation with two strong recent Randwick placings on his form card - third to the talented Crafty Eagle on May 27th and a cracking second to So Good So Cool on June 10th after being caught off the track throughout.
The showy grey Oakfield Duke put together a dazzling sequence of four consecutive wins this time last year at Scone, Muswellbrook, Grafton and Wyong. Kristen had to call it quits in January when the gelding finished at the tail of the field in a Rosehill Midway. He underwent corrective airway surgery, and was turned out for a lengthy break. Oakfield Duke will go into Saturday’s sprint with two recent trials under his belt. With two runners sporting the green and gold silks, Bruce Mackenzie won’t know which way to look.
Oakfield Duke (Aaron Bullock) makes it 4 straight in this BM 68 at Wyong in September 2022. Runner up was Mikado (Jason Collett) - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Kristen is more than satisfied with the stable’s strike rate for the current season and looks forward to the new one with a sense of anticipation. She saddled up eight two year olds at the Wyong trials on Tuesday - easily the largest number of juveniles she’s ever produced in one session. Apart from her “Oakfield” boys, the trainer looks forward to upcoming campaigns with some of the older stable representatives. Horses like two year old Chevron who presented with a small knee chip following his unplaced effort in the recent Sires Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm. Prior to that he missed narrowly in the Inglis Challenge at Scone.
Kristen anxiously awaits the return of five time winner Delexo who recently underwent airway surgery. “He’s the winner of races at Randwick and Eagle Farm and should add to his record this time in,” she said. “I’m also looking forward to Everlong returning to the stable after a good spell. She gave us a huge thrill in winning the Wellington Boot in March.”
Jason Collett was wearing the covid mask as Delexo cantered home at Randwick 16/09/2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
It’s all systems go for the lady whose training involvement actually began in Perth where she won her very first race with a mare called Tingling Sensation in 2005. Kristen was born and reared on the NSW Central Coast, and was in her mid teens when her family moved to WA . She gained a degree in Biology and Exercise Physiology at the Murdoch University and probably would have pursued a career in that field, had it not been for her innate love of horses. To help subsidise her University expenses, Kristen rode trackwork for prominent trainer Neville Parnham. She later pre-trained horses for Parnham and a handful of other stables.
Kristen at a Wyong meeting with Debbie Kepitis - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
She returned to Sydney in 2007 with the prospects of a training career dominating her thoughts - but first she needed to learn much more about the administrative side of running a commercial stable. She landed the ideal job with Iskander Racing and Breeding where she would spend two rewarding years learning about marketing, stallion nominations, and client communication. She remains thankful for the invaluable tutelage provided by people like Sheriff Iskander and Suman Hedge.
It was 2009 when thirty year old Kristen took the first tentative steps on the road to a training career. She got started at Wyong and wouldn’t swap that location for the world. There are many barometers by which Kristen Buchanan’s talents can be measured. Eight Midways is a pretty good start.
(Banner image - Oakfield Waratah looked anything but stressed as he pricked the ears approaching the line in Saturday's Midway - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)