BRAD Rawiller has taken the ride on comeback mare Leica Ding in the $60,000 Gold Nugget, 1600m, in Ballarat on Sunday.
Leica Ding as the top weight of 58.5kg in a race which shapes as a springboard to the spring for several contenders.
Like Leica Ding, international gallopers Doctor Fremantle and Puissance de Lune, and Cranbourne Cup winner Boom N Zoom are first-up, while others are having just their second and third runs back from spells and not yet near their major spring target.
This will be Leica Ding's first race start since April, 2010, which is her only other raceday outing since the 2009 Melbourne Cup.
Weir has four acceptors in the capacity of 16, also saddling up imported mare Emblem of Liberty, last-start Mildura Cup winner Lord of Brazil and French import Puissance de Lune.
Doctor Fremantle, prepared by Sam Pritchard-Gordon at Mornington, will have his first start for the stable.
Previously trained by Lee Freedman, Doctor Fremantle campaigned in New Zealand last season, finishing third
in the G1 Zabeel Classic, 2000m, at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and second in the G2 Awapuni Cup, 2000m, at the end of March.
The track is rated a slow7 with the rail in the true position.
Gold Nugget field:
1 LEICA DING Brad Rawiller 1 58.5kg
2 DOCTOR FREMANTLE Jake Noonan (a) 6 57.5kg
3 SOUND JOURNEY Nicholas Hall 15 56.5kg
4 BOOM 'N' ZOOM Damien Oliver 5 56kg
5 OURFOREIGNMINISTER Steven King 16 56kg
6 COLDENS CHOICE Chris Symons 8 55.5kg
7 EBONY ROCK Kane Bradley 11 54.5kg
8 PRIZUM Luke Currie 9 54.5kg
9 EMBLEM OF LIBERTY Michael Walker 10 54kg
10 LORD OF BRAZIL Michelle Payne 17 54kg
11 STONEBLACK Peter Mertens 13 54kg
12 OREGON SPIRIT Jason Benbow 2 54kg
13 VATUVEI Luke Nolen 4 54kg
14 LORD WIMBLE Jack Hill 3 54kg
15 PUISSANCE DE LUNE James Winks 14 54kg
16 QUICK SHAKES Dean Larsson 12 54kg