The Weeding Racing team will lock in for a big weekend, which includes programs at Wangaratta, Albury and Cooma on Saturday before the time-honoured Werribee Cup meeting on Sunday.

On his home track, Craig Weeding will start up to five chances at Wangaratta.

Maiden gallopers will be searching for their first career win, with Acantilado (Jake Duffy, 59.5kg) taking on the 1170m Maiden Plate, Aqua River (Jake Duffy, 57.5kg) contesting the 1170m Maiden Plate, and Saker Falcon (Jake Duffy, 59.5kg) lining up in the 1590m Maiden Plate.

The in-form Soo Kiss Me (Cassidy Hill, 55kg) has drawn nicely with gate five in the 1100m Benchmark 56 Handicap, while Connemara Queen (Cassidy Hill, 57kg) should be an improver when second-up in the 1300m Benchmark 56 Handicap.

With multiple meetings in NSW, the stable is split between Albury and Cooma.

At Albury, Paparazzo (John Kissick, 59kg) will contest the 1175m Class One Handicap.

The 4YO Holler gelding, out of Shutter Bug, has gone agonisingly close in recent starts, finishing second in a 1112m Benchmark 56 handicap at Kilmore on October 31 before another second in a 1100m Class One Handicap at Gundagai on November 14.

At Cooma, recent Balranald Cup winner, Fox Appeal (Justin Stanley, 60.5kg), will look to defend his title in the Cooma Cup.

Following a last-start third in a Benchmark 70 Handicap at Wodonga on November 28, the 6YO Foxwedge gelding couldn’t be going any better as connections chase an eighth win with the ever-consistent galloper.

On Sunday, some of the stable’s big names head to Werribee.

Indispensable (Jake Duffy, 54kg) and Prince Of Helena (Ryan Houston, 54kg) represent the stable in the $150,000 Werribee Cup (1600m).

Both gallopers enter the race in good form, with Indispensable flashing strongly to finish third in the Tatura Cup (1450m) on November 22, while Prince Of Helena was only beaten 1.45 lengths, finishing fourth in the Wodonga Cup (1590m) on November 28.

Also racing at Werribee, Yam (Jake Duffy, 60.5kg) will go around in the 1400m Benchmark 66 Handicap and Amber Star (Jake Duffy, 58kg) will start in the 1600m Benchmark 66 Handicap.

Words: Jeff Hanson

Image: Bradley Photos

Craig Weeding will send a team of up to six runners to Wodonga on Friday, with Prince Of Helena to headline the stable’s chances in the $100,000 Wodonga Cup (1590m).

A tried and tested Country Cup warrior, Prince Of Helena has drawn gate one, and will have the services of stable jockey, Jake Duffy.

A nine-time winner, Prince Of Helena’s career earnings are creeping toward half a million dollars.

The stable stalwart started in the $100,000 Snake Gully Cup on November 14, and while beaten five lengths when finishing seventh, the 9YO Sidetsep gelding was doing his best work late and was very unlucky not to finish closer to the winner.

Another strong edition of the Wodonga Cup is ahead of Prince Of Helena, who will appreciate the inside draw and should get every chance to add another trophy to his stable’s cabinet.

While Prince contests the feature race, plenty of stable favourites will turn out at Wodonga for Weeding, including talented sprinter Big Day Out (Cassidy Hill, gate 13) in the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1100m), last-start Balranald Cup winner Fox Appeal (Jake Duffy, gate 11) in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1300m), and recent Berrigan winner Controversial Miss (Casidy Hill, gate 5) in the Benchmark 56 Handicap (1590m).

Other runners include the ever-consistent Main In Dubai (Jake Duffy, gate 11) in the Benchmark 56 Handicap (2050m) and debutant Aqua River (Jake Duffy, gate 13) in the Maiden Plate (1100m).

The following day, Weeding travels to Wagga Wagga, with The Village Fox (Justin Stanley, gate 10) and My City Warrior (Cassidy Hill, gate 8) taking on the Maiden Plate (1400m).  

Words: Jeff Hanson
Image: Racing Photos

Eyeing her 10^th career win, the Craig Weeding-trained Controversial Miss (Cassidy Hill, 52kg) will look to claim her second Hay Cup (1400m) on Saturday.

The Dissident mare won the Hay Cup in 2023 with Connor Murtagh in the saddle as the pair prevailed by a flared nostril in what turned out to be a sensational finish.

Having missed the chance to defend her title in 2024, the 7YO heads back to Hay on Saturday as one of the likely favourites in the $20,000 feature.

Racing in good order, Controversial Miss won at Berrigan last start, triumphing by 1.26 lengths in the 1400m Benchmark 50 Handicap.

Weeding has a team of five runners heading to Hay, including Tristania (Cassidy Hill, 54kg) in the 800m Maiden Plate and Soo Kiss Me (Cassidy Hill, 52kg) in the 1200m Benchmark 58 Handicap.

The stable also has The Village Fox (Cassidy Hill, 56kg) and My City Warrior (Hannah Le Blanc, 54kg) in the 1200m Maiden Plate.

It’s going to be a busy few days for the stable, with runners at Tatura and Hay on Saturday, Kilmore on Sunday, and Albury on Monday.

Of the stable’s notable chances, on Saturday, Indispensable (Jake Duffy, 62kg) will contest the Tatura Cup (1450m), and Black Frost (Jake Duffy, 58kg) gets his chance in the 1980m Maiden Plate.

Indispensable wasn't disgraced in the $100,000 Snake Gully Cup last sart, finishing 5th, and will go around as the top weight in the Tatura Cup.

On Sunday, Amber Star (Jake Duffy, 58kg) takes on the 1600m Benchmark 66 Handicap, and Yam (Jake Duffy, 61kg) will run in the 1450m Benchmark 66 Handicap.

At Albury, Saker Falcon (Jake Duffy, 59kg) is an interesting runner, having drawn the inside gate in the 1400m Maiden Plate.

Words/Image: Jeff Hanson