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By Graeme White

Unbeaten five-year-old Cooee was a late bloomer to racing, but he is making up for lost time as he chases three straight victories in the North Albury Tyrepower Benchmark 58 (1500m) at Albury on Monday.

Cooee, who is extremely well named being by Group 1 winner Holler whose own dam was named Shouts, has won at Albury over 1175 and 1400 metres and steps it up in distance by another 1000 metres.

Trainer Ron Stubbs (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Raced by the Tobin family, Cooee has a big weight of 62.5 kilograms with regular jockey Matthew Cahill in charge for trainer Ron Stubbs.

The Albury based trainer will close out the final month of the racing season with some high percentage figures and has some talented troops in his stable heading into the latter part of 2024.

Stubbs has prepared 16 winners and 21.5 placegetters from 66 starters in country NSW with 12 winners from his past 50 starts in recent months.

Cooee has a bit to go to match some of the best horses in his stable, but he is heading in the right direction and is untapped at this stage of his career.

Stubbs has classy gallopers Sparring, Bianco Vilano, Baledon, Tap N’ Run, Rumours Abound, Magmetric and Prophet’s Daughter all capable of winning in better class.

Cooee looks to have enough ability to head in the same direction and if he can measure up again on Monday there will be a midweek metropolitan race no too far off.

It’s not an easy task for Cooee who comes up against some handy types who are racing consistently and present a major challenge.

One of those is last start winner Oimbari who was successful at Corowa last Monday at only her third start.

Her trainer Craig Weeding has accepted with five horses but is unlikely to start them all with the track condition to determine what also races at the Narrandera Cup meeting on Sunday.

Weeding has the defending champion Prince Of Helena lining up again in what is shaping as a quality $60,000 race where the winner is eligible for The Big Dance at Randwick on November 5.

The Albury track was rated a heavy 9 on Saturday which would rule out some of Weeding’s starts.

“I would say Oimbari would run for sure. She is a young half sister to Ruperts Red Rocket who also won his last start and has been aimed at this race,” he said.

“Ruperts Red Rocket has drawn wide, but he came from off the pace to win last time and I’m very happy with him in between starts.”

Weeding is likely to scratch Via Vegas from the Maiden Hcp (1400m) and rely on Angel Of Spring.

The filly will be ridden by jockey James Innes junior who returned to race riding at Randwick on Saturday after several weeks out of action with a back injury.

Weeding is in contention for the SDRA trainers’ premiership along with Ben Brisbourne, also from Wangaratta, who will have Dipierdomenico up against Angel Of Spring.

Brisbourne had a win in Sydney on Saturday with Patchouli Dream and will line-up another strong chance in Bannockburn against Ruperts Red Rocket.

Albury will also host the final meeting of the season in the Southern District Racing Association on Monday July 29.

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday’s Mudgee meeting