Lane keeps lead in Melbourne Premiership

Damian Lane has retained his lead in the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership with a win at Mornington.

Damian Lane will miss the next two city meetings in Melbourne while he serves a suspension but he has kept his nose in front in the Victorian metropolitan jockeys’ premiership with a winner at Mornington.

Lane incurred an eight-meeting careless riding suspension last Saturday week at Moonee Valley which he deferred to start after Monday’s meeting.

It rules him out of Wednesday’s Sandown meeting and also racing at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Lane started Monday’s metropolitan-class meeting on 46 city winners for the season, one ahead of Craig Williams and four ahead of apprentice Ethan Brown.

Lane added to his season tally with a win on Josephine Sea in the Anchor Point Engineering Handicap (1200m) while six-time premiership winner Williams also got on the board, albeit via a dead-heat for first aboard Reticent in the Clanbrooke Racing Handicap (2000m).

Brown also kept in touch with Lane and Williams, steering debutant Greyworm to a comfortable victory in the Handyman Steel Supplies Plate (1200m) for his boss, trainer Mick Kent.

The win also brought up a milestone for Brown as it was the 50th city win of his career.

“That’s my two kilo claim gone,” Brown said.

Brown’s city claim has now been reduced to 1.5kg but because acceptances have already been taken he can still utilise a 2kg claim on Wednesday at Sandown where he is booked for five rides.

Lane, who is yet to win a Melbourne premiership, used a football analogy when discussing his title hopes after the win on Josephine Sea.

“What do they say, we’ll take it match by match and see how we go,” Lane said.

There are 13 Melbourne metropolitan meetings remaining this season.