There are qualities that create an outstanding racehorse trainer. Qualities such as passion, dedication, experience, knowledge, attention to detail and, above all, that thirst to be successful. Craig Weeding shows all of these.

Starting life in Adelaide with no family involvement in horses, Craig has forged his own path.

He commenced when frequenting the local pony club from dawn pleading to have a ride of other children’s ponies.

His passion was obviously noticed, and it wasn’t long before the opportunity arose for him to lease a pony. He then spent much of his teenage years competing in equestrian sports.

On leaving school, Craig ventured to Morphettville racecourse and worked as a track rider and stablehand for several trainers.

An opportunity arose to work at Oakside Park Stud in the Adelaide Hills under the keen eye of respected horsewoman Roslyn Day.

It was this opportunity that gave Craig a great education and foundation. 

At only 18, Craig was promoted to manager. He was responsible for the care of around 100 horses on the farm as well as foaling down 50-odd mares each year, covering 150 mares by the stud’s resident stallions and preparing yearlings for the Adelaide Magic Millions sales.

He also managed the pre-training and breaking for a number of Adelaide trainers, including Cox plate Hero, Maldivian.

Craig was then approached to work for Sean Buckley’s Ultra Thoroughbreds in Kilmore.

Sean had recently acquired the Kilmore property and was in the process of developing the farm and establishing his breeding and racing portfolio. 

This opportunity gave Craig an insight into the commercial thoroughbred world where, in addition to the day-to-day running of the farm, he was involved in the purchases of broodmares and race fillies. Sean was very active in buying horses, purchasing horses from sales, privately and internationally. Highlights of these purchases are Group 1 winners Perfect Promise and Miss Andretti.

As part of his role, Craig was sent to Kentucky (USA) and worked at KESMARC (Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine and Research centre). 

This resulted in the import of one of the first equine hyperbaric chambers into Australia, which was installed and operated on the Kilmore property.

After four years with Ultra Throughbreds, he then gained further experience, working at Flemington and Caulfield for the likes of Crown Lodge, Rick Hore-Lacey and Aquanita/Tony Vasil.

It was then down to Geelong for a season at Makybe under respected stud master Scott Holcombe. Craig was privileged to work with highly credentialed stock, including Headway, Starspangledbanner, and, of course, the legendary three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva.

After years of hands-on experience, it was now the time for a slight change in direction.

Craig became heavily involved in the start-up business Bloodstock.com.au.

Over the next two years, this website became the number-one online trading platform for thoroughbreds in Australia.

The business was subsequently acquired by Inglis. This experience gave Craig an insight into developing, marketing and exiting an online business.

Craig played a strategic role in the negotiation of the sale and continued working for Inglis throughout the handover period.

After the sale was completed, he decided to take a break, and he ventured to the Northern Territory, where he lived and worked at Coolibah Station in Victoria River.

He was employed to train and care for the owner's team of campdrafting horses and was also able to experience station life, including mustering and cattle work.

This escape was a breath of fresh air for Craig after living in the Sydney CBD!

On returning from Coolibah Station, Craig set up a horse education and training business in the Hawkesbury region, which he ran successfully for nearly ten years.

This business serviced several leading Sydney trainers for their breaking and pre-training needs and also serviced some of Australia's top sport horse riders and breeders in their breaking and early education as well as dealing with problem horses.

His name became synonymous with not only top racehorse education but also in the sport horse industry where Craig also competed successfully in Dressage and Eventing.

During this period, Craig saw an opportunity to trade horses online through the auction system.

He was the co-founder of the first online thoroughbred auction in the world, Bloodstockauction.com.

The online auction system is now common practice, but at the time, it was not recognised nor conceivable that it could have developed into the mainstay it has today.

On selling his share in the business, Craig was in a position to take out his trainer’s licence.

After training a handful of racehorses out of his Hawkesbury property, Craig made the bold move to relocate to Wangaratta, where he purchased a 25-acre property and on-course stables at Wangaratta racecourse.

The purpose of the move was to transition out of breaking and training for other people and develop a training business of his own.

Craig was met with support from many of his long-term clients who were happy to keep horses with him despite the distance, with most still being clients to this day.

Although only in the early stages, the Wangaratta commitment has proved to be an astute move, with well over 100 winners from the stables already. This success is set to continue, with exciting young stock continuing to be developed.