The future of Miners Rest trainer Darren Weir – and the scores of staff he employs across three training facilities – is still unknown, after being hauled in front of Racing Victoria stewards last night.
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A potential licence suspension could necessitate the transfer of hundreds of horses and have a significant impact on Ballarat’s broader thoroughbred industry.
Even as far back as 2011, the City of Ballarat reported Weir was responsible for 42.3 per cent of training output at Dowling Forest, and his impact has only widened with his meteoric success.
Racing Victoria stewards conducted a marathon interview last night of Weir, assistant trainer Jarrod McLean and stable employee Tyson Kermond, the first since the investigation into potential animal cruelty became public. They adjourned their inquiry after 10pm and are expected to make an announcement today.
This comes after Weir was ordered to show cause why he should be allowed to race horses in New South Wales, following a decision from Racing NSW.
The sporting body issued a show cause notice to the Miners Rest-based trainer on Thursday, in order to protect the integrity of the sport due to the seriousness of reported allegations against Weir.
Weir is Australia's most successful trainer and prepared 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance, which was ridden by Michelle Payne.
Overnight on Thursday Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, issued a statement saying she had not been part of the Weir stable for more than 18 months and had never been aware of or witnessed any illegal activity.
Several Weir-trained horses are due to race in Victoria over the weekend.
Weir has more than 600 horses on his books and employs dozens of people in his stables.
Weir has nominated a number of horses for the world’s richest two-year-old race, the $3.5 million Golden Slipper, set to run at Rosehill Racecourse on March 23.
The Melbourne Cup-winning horse trainer is being investigated over allegations of animal cruelty after police seized four electric shock devices, known as "jiggers", during early morning twin raids on his stables.
The prominent trainer was arrested along with two other men during the raids on Wednesday morning, with police also seizing an unregistered gun and a substance believed to be cocaine.
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.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys said in a statement that his organisation was “on record time and again as saying integrity and welfare in this industry is paramount”.
“Accordingly, no individual’s interest should outweigh the confidence of the public in the integrity and welfare of the industry,” he said.
“It is critical that the image, interests and integrity of thoroughbred racing in New South Wales are not compromised while Mr Weir’s conduct is further investigated.
“Mr Weir will be given the opportunity to respond to the Show Cause Notice to ensure that he is provided with natural justice and procedural fairness.”
Racing NSW has previously taken similar action against interstate trainer Liam Birchley, who is not permitted to nominate or race horses in the state, following the Aquanita doping scandal.
- With The Age
