Latest news with #CalicoMiss
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘He is up to that level': Robert Agnew has Country Championships aspirations for Show ‘Em Howl
Trainer Robert Agnew believes Show 'Em Howl has the ability to be a Country Championships contender next year but would be content if his lightly-raced talent won his way out of calculations for the series this winter. Agnew is preparing to bring his untapped talent back to town to target one of two races on Winter Stakes day at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as he looks to build on his competitive early record of two wins from five starts. Show 'Em Howl gave a glimpse of his potential the last time he was in town with an eye-catching fourth behind the speedy Calico Miss in Highway grade. 'I feel off his Highway run two weeks ago, I could win a Country Championships heat over 1200m at Port Macquarie first-up,' Agnew said. 'I could give him a few starts this preparation and then put him away. 'We have runs and wins up the sleeve to play with but if he was to win the Benchmark 72 on Saturday then moving forward two weeks later he is going to be better for the 1500m. 'So if he was to win two in two weeks, I wouldn't be waiting for the Championships because as nice as a race as it is, he would be third-up on four wins and I couldn't put him in the garage until February.' Calico Miss races away with the TAB Highway at Randwick! ðŸ'° @weir_mikayla @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025 Show 'Em Howl ($8) is the seventh emergency in the TAB Highway Class 3 Handicap (1300m) but has also accepted in the The Agency Real Estate Benchmark 72 (1300m) on the same card. Agnew holds no fears running Show 'Em Howl in the tougher assignment if scratchings don't get him a Highway start. 'I definitely think he is up to that level,' he said. 'There is some nice horses in it but I definitely think he is capable. 'I wanted to stick to Highway this week and go to the 72 in two weeks time because he doesn't have any Highway options coming up. 'Everyone says he is a nice 1400m to a mile horse so I would love to take him over 1500m in two weeks time. 'If it's really wet, I'd rather the 1200m and not the 1300m.' Apprentice Anna Roper has been booked to pilot Show 'Em Howl in both races.
News.com.au
11-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Preview: Stirling Osland confident stunning debut winner Calico Miss can repeat the dose at Quirindi
ONE of the most impressive debut winners in the Northwest region so far this year will strive to make the quantum leap from a maiden to a Class 1 when she returns to Quirindi on Monday. Calico Miss, a Scone-bred, Armidale housed three-year-old filly, landed some substantial wagers when she burst away from her nine rivals to win her 1200m Maiden debut on April 29. 'She is a very nice horse,'' Osland said. 'We thought we would run her on New Year's Day but she went a bit shinny so she went to the paddock. 'We always thought she was a nice horse. 'She works well and does everything right, I thought she raced pretty tractably at her first start and didn't do a lot wrong in the running. 'She put herself everywhere she needed to be.' Calico Miss was given the perfect steer by prolific winning jockey Mikayla Weir at Quirindi 12-days ago. She'll need an even better ride this time given Calico Miss swaps barrier one for 13 which has unsettled her trainer somewhat. 'I'm still a little undecided given the sticky draw at Quirindi whether we go around there or go to Scone on Friday where there is a Class 1 on Cup Day,'' Osland said. 'If there are a few scratchings and the draw looks a bit more favourable, we'll go around at Quirindi but if it holds as it is, we'll be going around at Scone. 'I just get a little bit worried, Quirindi being a tight track, that being drawn wide and lightly-raced, we can get ourselves beaten by bad luck rather than ability.' Calico Miss is a long way off retirement but is sure to become a valued and welcome member of the elite Ramsey Pastoral broodmare band when the time comes. The filly is one of only 20 foals sired by Better Land which was narrowly beaten in the Rosebud and Up And Coming Stakes early on his career. Better Land's dam, Amelia's Dream, will forever be remembered as 'the Golden Slipper winner that wasn't' given her sensational withdrawal from the 2008 juvenile feature in the wake of her epic six-lengths win in the Silver Slipper. On top of that, Calico Miss can lay claim to being a member of one the most influential female families in the Australia Stud Book. All of its ongoing success can be traced directly to the Grand Chaudiere mare, Easy Date, whose four stakes-winners include the two fillies. Asawir and True Blonde, as a Apollo Stakes winner Quick Score and Max Lees' Champion Sprinter and later Champion Sire, Snippets. Meanwhile, Osland and Weir will combine early on the Quirindi card today when and where Skit 'N' Skat contests the Jockey Club Maiden Plate over 1450m. The five-year-old had his first three career starts under the care of John O'Shea, finishing second at Kembla on debut. His last start for O'Shea was an eye-catching, closing fourth, at Goulburn almost 12 months to the day that he made his Osland stable debut at his new home at Armidale. 'It looked he needed the run bad and was carrying a heap of weight,'' Osland said. 'He travelled nice then his legs got heavy and he blew out so obviously a couple of weeks between runs will tighten him up a bit so he should improve. 'He's got a sticky draw at Quirindi which doesn't but I am definitely heaps happier with him.'
The Age
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Tips and race-by-race guide for Quirindi on Tuesday
Selections based on a soft track. Race 1 8. Calico Miss is a three-year-old filly by Better Land that had a trial at Tamworth around this time last year then went out for a break. She has since returned and won a recent trial at Armidale in preparation for this debut. She has the advantage of barrier one and can begin her career in winning form. 9. Lightning Princess is a Tamworth-trained filly that is also on debut, and she finished fourth in her only trial leading into this. 10. Zousilence had a number of trials either side of a break before making his debut with a midfield effort at Port Macquarie. He is drawn well here and can improve. 1. Cooma Hut resumed from a spell with a third at Armidale, and he can be placed again if he can run up to that effort. How to play it: Calico Miss to win. Race 2 10. The Piccolino has been racing well with second placings in his past two starts behind Divine Bene on the Beaumont track at Newcastle and then behind Lady Olenna at Scone. That form looks solid for a race like this, and he looks to get his chance to break through. 1. Rivana resumed from a spell with a third at Gosford and followed that up with a seventh at Wyong. He should find this easier. 6. I'm Opinionated was midfield at Coonabarabran when last produced and could sneak into the minor money. 4. Nickers Boy battled on well when third at Taree last time out and can give cheek again from the good draw. How to play it: The Piccolino to win. Race 3 3. Cashaway Gold looked good in a trial against Hawker Hall before resuming from a lengthy spell with a dominant win at Port Macquarie when leading throughout. She can win again here if she can run up to that. 2. Hollywood Gold scored at this track before being spelled and has finished third in a Scone trial leading into this. He's drawn well and has solid claims. 5. She's A Bad Girl has been placed in her past two starts and can figure in the money again, while 9. Atoka is a last-start Armidale winner. How to play it: Cashaway Gold to win. Race 4 6. Perasta has been racing consistently and finished third on the Beaumont track at his last start. He's been placed in four of 12 starts and can break through against these. 8. Closetothinkitover resumes here having finished fifth on debut at Scone in December. She's a nine-year-old but has had a solid trial leading into this. 11. Lady Lilibet resumed with a seventh at Scone and should be improved by that. 3. Mr Chips ran well at Armidale at his last run and is deserving of thought. How to play it: Perasta to win.
