Central Victorian race horse owners involved with the popular Roll The Dice Racing syndications will have their horses transferred to new trainers in the coming days.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Embattled trainer Darren Weir previously trained Roll The Dice Racing horses, but his expected suspension means the syndicator is in the process of moving its team of 30 horses from Weir's Ballarat and Warrnambool-based training operations.
Roll The Dice Racing director Steve Travaglia said central Victorian racing fans make up "about 25 to 28 per cent" of the Roll The Dice client list.
Travaglia admitted it had been a testing few days for the syndicators, but plans were in place to have the horses at new stables as quicky as possible.
"We sat down with Darren (Weir) and went through plans for the future and made notes about the type of trainer that would suit our horses,'' Travaglia said.
"We looked at which horses need to be trained from a beach property or trained from a paddock or stable environment.
"Darren gave us multiple suggestions about which trainers would suit and we'll make the final decisions as to where the horses go."
Chris Waller, Tony McEvoy, Ballarat-based Mitch Freedman and Warrnambool-based Symon Wilde are some of the trainers in the mix to prepare Roll The Dice Racing horses.
Up-and-coming Bendigo trainer Josh Julius, who has pre-trained horses for Weir, has already been given two Roll The Dice Racing horses - Zaide and Westham.
Zaide will run in a 1600m event at Ararat on Wednesday, while Westham is expected to start in a staying race at Bendigo on Friday.
"Josh has always been a pre-trainer for us and he's always done a great job,'' Travaglia said.
"We want to support him because he's a hard worker and every time he's presented a horse after pre-training Darren has been wrapt with it.
"You can't say that about all pre-trainers."
Weir will front the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board which is expected to confirm a disqualification relating to outlawed electronic devices known as jiggers found in his stable.
The RAD Board will open an inquiry on Wednesday morning with Racing Victoria stewards saying they will seek a four-year disqualification.
Weir has indicated he will not contest the charges relating to three jiggers found in his stable at Ballarat.
He has also been charged with conduct prejudicial to the image of racing.
The RAD Board has the power to issue penalties higher or lower than the stewards' recommendation.
Weir's assistant, licensed trainer Jarrod McLean, will fight a charge relating to a jigger found on his premises with no date set for his hearing.
- with AAP
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.