Craig Weeding and his hard-working Weeding Racing team will send up to 12 runners around Wangaratta on Saturday.

It’s the Wangaratta Turf Club’s big day, with the nine-race Country Cup meeting headlined by the $100,000 Wangaratta Cup, while the program offers over $430,000 in prize money.

Fox Appeal (Jake Duffy, 59.5kg) jumps from gate 7 in the $75,000 Benchmark 70 Handicap (1590m).

The five-year-old is racing well, having won the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1612m) at Benalla last time out, and the six-time winner will enjoy being back on his home track (3:0-0-2).

Smart Poppy (Joe Bowditch, 59.5kg) and Controversial Miss (Jake Duffy, 54kg) will contest the $40,000 Benchmark 70 Nathan Stribley Memorial Race (1300m).

Smart Poppy is proven in this class and draws nicely with gate 6, while last-start winner Controversial Miss is stepping up from a Benchmark 58 Handicap at Benalla, but on her best form and from gate 1, she can more than compete in this feature race.

Kicking off a big program, in the 1170m Maiden Plate, Weeding Racing will start Jellignite (Pierre Boudvillain, 57.5kg), Breezy Bon (Jake Duffy, 57.5kg), and Champagne Pink (Brittany Button, 57kg).

Both Jellignite in gate 4 and Breezy Bon in gate 9 have been to the races, both going nicely last time out, while Champagne Pink, a two-time trial winner, will be on debut from gate 12

Up next is the 1590m Maiden Plate, where the stable has Perfume River (Jake Duffy, 57.5kg) entered.

A last-start placegetter at Benalla, connections have drawn gate three with the four-year-old.

The stable has two chances in the 1300m Benchmark 58 Handicap, with Heavenly Prophet (Jake Duffy, 55.5kg) drawing gate 1 and Dancing With Kitty (Alysha Warren, 54kg) starting from gate 3.

Smuggler’s Angel (Jake Duffy, 56kg) has drawn awkwardly with gate 11 in the second of the 1300m Benchmark 58 Handicaps.

The 2000m Benchmark 64 Handicap looks like a nice race for Ashau Valley (Jake Duffy, 60kg).

The four-year-old had been racing well before finishing down the track in a more challenging Marong Cup at Bendigo, winning over 1600m at Albury before back-to-back placings at Wagga (1800m and 2000m).

Connections draw well at Wangaratta, with Ashau Valley to start from gate 5.

The final event is the 1170m Benchmark 64 Handicap, in which the ultra-impressive Recon (Jake Duffy, 59kg) steps up from maiden class.

A last-start winner at Benalla, where the three-year-old cruised to a nearly three-length victory, many eyes will be on Recon when he jumps from gate 9 in much more formidable company.

Weeding Racing heads to Bendigo on Sunday, rounding out a busy weekend, with Maid In Dubai (Jake Duffy, 60kg) and Flycatcher (Declan Bates, 58kg) taking on the 1400m Benchmark 64 Handicap.

Breezy Bon (Jake Duffy, 57.5kg), who is also entered at Wangaratta on Saturday, is in at Bendigo as well, currently down to race from gate 7 in the 1000m Maiden Plate.

Words/Image: Jeff Hanson