Latest news with #MikaylaWeir
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
See the moment a kangaroo comes within INCHES of causing a disastrous fall at horse race
A kangaroo came within inches of disaster after it bounded into the middle of the race track during Monday's meeting at Warren, New South Wales. Not many had anticipated the day to begin in such dramatic fashion, with 11 horses lining up to participate in the opening race of the meeting - the 2400m Warren Stayers Benchmark 58. But approximately 1400m into the race, some eagle-eyed patrons spotted the marsupial hopping its way through the middle of the race course and appeared to be making a beeline out of the grounds, just as the riders and their mounts were turning to come up the straight. Shannen Llewellyn, aboard Joshua, and Jake Pracey-Holmes, riding Will To Excel, may have had a fright as they battled their way around the bend before heading up the course alongside the fence. That was when the small roo ducked under the white railings a mere 10 yards in front of them. The kangaroo bounced its way into the middle of the field, missing both Joshua and Will To Excel. This is Australia - well Warren - western New South Wales Monday - 6 hrs Sydney, 1 hr Dubbo. Skippy the kangaroo is fine - stewards (head on attached) with no reports of interference! — Global Racing Society (@GlobalRacingSoc) June 2, 2025 However it wasn't out of danger just yet, as the small roo came very close to making contact with Mikayla Weir and Wolf Club, charging up on the outside line. Luckily, the animal hopped its way clear of danger and bounded off the race track, with the jockeys and their horses all remaining calm in the scary moment. James Ponsonby-trained Will To Excel would go on to claim victory in the race, while Joshua, who is trained by Connie Greig, and Instead placed second and third respectively. It is not the first time a kangaroo has entered a race track in Australia. Back in May 2017, punters were left baffled after a roo took the lead during a race meeting at Cessnock, New South Wales. The roo was seen hopping alongside the riders, before turning on the afterburners to momentarily take the lead. The roo then bounded its way off the track to safety following the bizarre moment - with riders and their jockeys going on to continue the race safely. Kangaroos are indigenous to Australia and some species of the marsuipal are able to clear 8m with one jump. WATCH: Kangaroo bounds onto track at Warren 👇 It was a sedate start to the day at Warren on Monday in a Benchmark 58 for the country stayers … until a rogue kangaroo entered the fray. 👇 — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 2, 2025 And over the years, several other Aussie sporting events have had to be momentarily postponed or paused because kangaroos have invaded the playing area. Back in 2018, a large kangaroo caused the postponement of a football match in Canberra after it had invaded the pitch. Capital Football Club and Belconnen United's women's teams were forced to stop play after the large marsupial hopped onto the field and laid down in front of the goal. Rather hilariously, as they waited for the roo to leave the playing area, one fan passed the Kangaroo a football, with the marsupial attempting to grab the ball and stop it from going into the net.
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.'
News.com.au
11-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Best Bets and Inside Mail for Quirindi and Murwillumbah on Monday
The Daily Telegraph's Shayne O'Cass previews racing at Quirindi and Murwillumbah on Monday. QUIRINDI BEST BET Race 6 No. 12: Shutter Lightly-raced mare perfectly set-up for her first mile contest. NEXT BEST Arrives here in country grade with good recent provincial form. VALUE Drawn one; resumes off an impressive trial win. Handy mare on her day. QUADDIE Race 4: 12,14 Race 5: 6,7.9 Race 6: 12 Race 7: 4,12 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Mikayla Weir has some good rides at Quirindi on Monday. â– â– â– â– â– MURWILLUMBAH BEST BET Race 1 No. 10: Stynsy Reliable Man 3YO who should run this trip right out. NEXT BEST Race 3 No. 4: Pear Bellini Peach of a race for this in-form Waller filly. VALUE Race 6 No. 8: Russian Diva Won twice already this prep and seems to handle the slop. RACE 1 Wanavan wears the same silks as her Hawkesbury Guineas winning 'auntie' Shazee Lee. Wanavan's best run of her five starts so far was a neck second (led) in a 1000m Super Maiden at Muswellbrook. Rest assured, she'll be in this for a long way. Clan D'Oro remains winless after 20 starts but she has placed nine times and in some quite respectable races around the place. Take note, she was a distant (led) second here on April 29 to a potentially smart horse, that being Calico Miss which runs in the last today. Bet: Wanavan to win, exacta 6 to beat 8 RACE 2 Bouzy's Babe (no rider booked) will be hard to beat in the event if she starts. If not, all roads lead to the John Ramsey filly Pathelia who is a valuable broodmare given she is by The Autumn Sun out of G3 winner Dawnie Perfect whose own dam, Zagalia, was fourth in a Cox Plate. Pathelia comes back from 2200m to 1450m but has done that before effectively. Cup Of Ambition has gone 26 starts now without a win but this is winnable. Bet: Bouzy's babe to win or if scratched Pathelia each-way RACE 3 Press Forward has won only three races in his 41 starts but has 10 seconds and six thirds. Long story short, some of those seconds were by very narrow margins and barriers haven't always been kind to him. Happy days here for the Brett Robb trained gelding who should get every possible chance from barrier 4. Might not be a faster horse in action at Quirindi today than Too Darn Lovely. Boasts a win and a third at his only two runs at the track/trip. Bet: Press Forward to win, quinella 1,2 RACE 4 The Piccolino was runner-up to two pretty good horses on March 24 and April 14 respectively. Looked close to a good thing on April 29 in a weaker Maiden but was beaten. In his defence, he was well back, came wide and ran on really well. It's time! Speaking of which, Holy Song is a 14 start maiden but he has run more races than bad. Well placed in this affair. Gerry Harvey's Musumeci was a shade disappointing at $3.40 last start but can atone. Bet: The Piccolino to win RACE 5 Arrabbiata is a handy mare and a very well bred broodmare for later on too given her direct descendant of the noteworthy producer - Subterfuge. As for her own talents, Arrabbita boasts two wins, four seconds and a third from her 17 starts. She broke her maiden here (at her only visit) by six lengths and has run some very respectable races in country, provincial and city grade. Great trial too. Insightful Award has won three of 12, one of those wins was here at Quirindi. Very fit and very well weighted; can't say the same about her barrier (10/10). Bet: Arrabiata to win, Daily Double 1st Leg 9, 2nd Leg (4) RACE 6 Shutter has had six starts for a Gunnedah maiden win and two thirds. That is the chronological order of her form leading into Monday's mission so she is in good form. The most appealing thing about her today is that it is a mile and she should relish that. Ditto that for Girly Pop who is another lightly-raced type; in her case a 3YO filly who won over 1400m on debut and is, as mentioned, crying out for 1600m now. Old hardheads, Bill Peyto and Badboy McCoy, are in contention. Divine Bene has a fascinating pedigree; mostly because of his sixth dam, Sweet Embrace, still the longest priced winner of the Golden Slipper when she took out the 1967 edition, while still a maiden, at 40/1. As for Divine Bene, he heads back to the bush armed with Newcastle form. Sagaponack is a very valuable great granddaughter of Lady Jakeo. She was super impressive winning her Maiden at Port Mac last start. Has obvious talent. Eager to see how Calico Miss follows up her emphatic debut win here from April 29.
