Ballarat trainer Matt Cumani has claimed the recent events involving Darren Weir Racing have raised concerns about the stable’s recent triumphs.
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Cumani, who is the son of legendary English-based horseman Luca, spoke to The Courier on Thursday, just over 24 hours after raids were conducted on Weir’s complexes at Miners Rest and Warrnambool.
“I suppose we have to wait and see what the outcome of the investigation is, but it certainly brings into question the legitimacy of any and all of the stable’s victories in the past and I suppose going forward into the future,” Cumani said.
Weir is the country’s leading trainer and holds the Commonwealth record for the most number of winners in a single season.
Cumani was particularly disturbed by the alleged discovery of electronic devices – known in racing circles as “jiggers” – at Weir’s stables and even questioned their ability to get horses to perform at their best.
“It is implied that ‘jiggers’ are being used to train horses which goes counter to my whole training ethos. The use of a ‘jigger’ sounds painful and cruel and has no place in our sport,” Cumani said.
In some ways, it was business as usual for the team at Darren Weir Racing on Thursday, but the black cloud that now hangs over the stable was certainly a talking point among industry participants at Ballarat Turf Club trackwork.
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Weir-trained horses were seen during early-morning training at the BTC, with staff working away even though their future with the stable must not be completely certain.
The Age reported on Thursday that secret surveillance footage taken at Melbourne-Cup winning horse trainer’s properties is at the centre of the investigation into the alleged use of the “jiggers”.
It is understood still pictures were shown to Weir when he was interviewed on Wednesday by detectives from Victoria Police.
