Horse on the loose in Sydney on Melbourne Cup Day

AN escaped saddled horse has sparked an early impromptu Melbourne Cup Day race with mounted police down an inner Sydney street.

The horse escaped from Centennial Park. Picture: Carrington Clarke/Twitter

SYDNEY’S Oxford Street is a welcome runway for unusual characters, but the sight of a lone saddled horse making its way down the inner city street was enough to make even the most jaded residents turn their fascinator-topped, Melbourne Cup-ready heads.

Getting into the spirit of the nation’s biggest race day early, the horse sparked a pursuit through the suburb of Paddington around 9am on Tuesday morning after it made away from its handler in Centennial Park.

Emergency service and traffic services were forced to make awkward announcements and provide warnings as it disrupted peak hour traffic.

PADDINGTON: Oxford St near Oatley Rd - Horse was on the loose. Mounted Police have contained the horse. No lanes impacted.

— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) October 31, 2016

We've had an early jumper on the #MelbourneCup this year. The Mounted Unit have contained a loose horse on Oxford St, Paddington.

— NSW Police (@nswpolice) October 31, 2016

“We’ve had an early jumper on the #MelbourneCup this year,” NSW police advised via its social media channels.

Live Traffic Sydney warned motorists: “Oxford St near Oatley Rd — Horse was on the loose.”

After a quick race between the stray horse and the police force’s mounted equine unit, the horse was contained on Oxford Street.

The horse was reunited with its owner shortly after the ordeal, a police spokesman told news.com.au.

Morning begins with horse on the loose running down middle of Oxford Street. Welcome to Melbourne Cup Day. Note: Pictured after capture. pic.twitter.com/dMMmDesFiE

— Carrington Clarke (@carringtonAU) October 31, 2016