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Mikayla Confident Emerging Calico Is Highway Material

By Ray Hickson

She might be giving away experience to her rivals at Randwick on Saturday but Calico Miss is a filly that jockey Mikayla Weir says has ‘future TAB Highway winner’ written all over her.

Jockey Mikayla Weir (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The Stirling Osland-trained filly has won two of her three starts, the latest a runaway success at Scone, and Weir said it’s worth trying to strike while the iron is hot.

“She’s only had the three starts and she’s been ultra consistent, she’s kept taking the step as Stirling has asked and she’s definitely worth a shot in a Highway,’’ Weir said.

“It’s a matter of giving her the opportunity because I think she could easily knock over another one in the bush.

“She’s not going to know herself with 54.5kg on her back.”

Calico Miss, $5 with TAB on Thursday, had her first barrier trial back in May last year but didn’t reappear until two months ago when she won a trial on her home track at Armidale.

Weir said the difference between the two versions of the filly was remarkable and her form since is evidence the time to get over her shin soreness has proven valuable.

“She was very laid back in her first trial, she did enough on the bridle to give a bit of a feel but not much,’’ she said.

“When she came back I didn’t recognise her. She was a completely different horse all together, she came back stronger and a different shape.

“In everything about her she’s just so much better.”

That’s not to say she hasn’t got a bit to learn.

Weir said while everything went smoothly enough in her Quirindi debut win that wasn’t the case when she was beaten as a $1.50 chance at Inverell on May 29.

But 12 days later she made light work of 59.5kg with an all the way win at Scone.

“She just has a few little quirks about her,’’ Weir said.

“At Inverell we probably tried to ride her too smart and just got caught from a bad gate, she was still taking ground off them late.

“The other day Stirling left it up to me so I rode her how I found her, she was super quick out and she did everything in my hand as I needed her to.”

Interestingly, both of Calico Miss’s wins have come from barrier one and that’s the gate she’ll jump from over the Randwick 1200m on Saturday.

Weir said she can be a bit ‘naughty in the gates’ so has the fingers crossed everything goes smoothly as they wait for the starter’s orders.


Calico Miss wins at Scone on June 10

“We learned about her in her second start, not to keep to one plan and to have an open mind about where she wants to be in the run,’’ she said.

“She’s quite strong willed and has a mind of her own so you’re better off going with her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting

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