Riding a winner is always special but doing it in front of the biggest crowd she'd seen at Dubbo added to the Derby Day excitement for Mikayla Weir.
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Weir took out one of the day's feature events, the 2200m Western Eagle, in front of a bumper crowd of roughly 5000 at the meeting dubbed 'Dubbo's biggest party'.
Riding Our City ($5) for Dubbo trainer Michael Lunn, Weir had a lovely run in transit and the four-year-old mare hit the line well late to win by a half-length.
"I've had a lot to do with her throughout her career with Mick so it was nice to get another win aboard her," Weir said, adding the occasion added to the joy.
"There's a lot of people here. I don't think I've ever seen this many people at Dubbo so that's good to see."
The win for Our City was her third in 14 career starts. Weir had ridden both her previous wins, at Dubbo and Narromine in June and August of this respectively, but the mare hadn't placed in her past five starts.
"She is very tough," Weir said, Our City having never won over more than 2000m previously.
"I had a lovely run. They sort of went quick early and then backed it off and had a breather and we were able to creep a few spots in the middle section and then just had a good run through.
"She gets through the trip quite well."
Love Rules (Chelsea Hillier, $3.80) and Piccapeppa (Mitch Stapleford, $3.70 favourite) filled the minor placings.
Weir - who helped the Garry Lunn-trained Knife's Edge qualify for Tuesday's $750,000 Little Dance by winning the Coonabarabran Cup - was one of seven different jockeys who won at the seven-race Derby Day meeting.
Jake Pracey-Holmes, Ken Dunbar and apprentice Zoe Hunt all saluted aboard favourites while Clayton Gallagher, Ash Stanley and Braith Nock also enjoyed success.
Nock took out the day's last event, the Hello Sport Handicap (1000m).
While $2.90 favourite Career Change faded first-up and finished last, Nock and the Dar Lunn-trained Praline ($10) finished best and beat home fellow local hope Driving Force ($15) by a half-length.
Racing will return to Dubbo on Tuesday when a seven-race non-TAB meeting is contested.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
