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UPDATE 10.10.2019 - Torture charges have been laid on Weir
Police have seized four electric shock devices, known as "jiggers", during early morning twin raids on the stables of Melbourne Cup-winning horse trainer Darren Weir.
The prominent trainer was arrested along with two other men during the raids on Weir's Victorian stables at Miners Rest, near Ballarat, and Warrnambool as well as residential properties on Wednesday morning, with police also seizing a substance they believed to be cocaine.
Police presser:
Weir is one of the highest-profile trainers in the country and the most successful trainer in the national trainer's premiership. The Victorian trainer counts hundreds of horses as part of his stable.
Wednesday's raids are another dramatic chapter for the racing industry, still reeling from the ongoing Aquanita scandal where trainers and stablehands were found guilty of doping-related offences.
During the raids, which also occurred at residential properties in Warrnambool, Miner's Rest and Yangery, police also seized what they believed to be an unregistered firearm and what they believed to be a small quantity of cocaine along with the "jiggers".
Weir took out the 2015 Melbourne Cup with Prince of Penzance, ridden by Michelle Payne, who became the first female jockey to claim the prestigious race.
Racing Victoria CEO Giles Thompson specified that no charges had been laid. Police confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that the three men have been released without charge, pending further enquiries.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson confirmed three "jiggers" were seized at one property, with a fourth found at another property.
Mr Paterson confirmed police were looking at the alleged use of jiggers to "enhance the performance" of horses on race day, but said the scope of the investigation went beyond the use of jiggers and into broader integrity issues.
Uniformed and plain-clothed officers swooped on Weir's stables, following months of speculation about an ongoing an investigation.
Weir, 48, from Miners Rest, has been training horses since 1995, and famously won the 2015 Melbourne Cup.
He was arrested along with a 38-year-old Yangery man and a 26-year-old Warrnambool man.
The use of a "jigger", an electrical device, is a serious offence which can result in lengthy penalties.
Track rider Damien Bradbury was given an 18-month disqualification in 2015 after he pleaded guilty to the possession of the electrical device at Mornington racecourse.
Victorian trainer Paul Preusker was slapped with a four year disqualification and jockey Holly McKechnie was disqualified for three years for charges relating to the use of a jigger at the Horsham racecourse in 2007.
At the time the two were disqualified, the practice was described as "abhorrent " by Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board deputy chairman Brain Forrest
Meanwhile, Thompson admitted Wednesday's events were "not good for the image of racing".
Mr Thompson said the arrested men were entitled to the presumption of innocence, saying race stewards were not at the point of issuing bans on trainers or their horses.
"That may change over time," said Mr Thompson.
Detectives from Victoria Police's Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit will now interview the three men.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the trio would be interviewed in relation to sporting integrity matters, including obtaining financial advantage by deception, engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome of an event or event contingency, use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes, and attempting to commit an indictable offence namely obtain financial advantage by deception.
It is understood some vehicles and cars were also examined at Warrnambool and Ballarat.
RSN Racing & Sport radio has reported that federal police visited Weir’s Ballarat stables some weeks ago where they may have seized an item central to an ongoing inquiry.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/rac...ning-trainer-darren-weir-20190130-p50uk5.html
Weir -v- Stewards
The history:
January 2001 - Weir suspended for eight weeks for giving false evidence, in an inquiry regarding the late scratching of mare Amanda Huggenkiss at Warrnambool.
Spring 2002 - Weir fined $1000 for being in possession of tubing gear at Manangatang.
August 2003 - Three Weir horses scratched at Murtoa with equipment seized by stewards, resulting in a three month suspension for tubing a horse on raceday.
May 3, 2006 - Racing Victoria stewards inspect Weir and Jarrod McLean stables at Warrnambool. Tubing gear was discovered, but no charges laid.
February 14, 2008 - Weir fined $15,000 for an elevated TC02 reading.
November 2009 - Weir fined $1500 after Lethal Gal was a late scratching on Ballarat Cup day when stewards discovered the horse had been transferred to another stable.
January 2010 - Time Matters a late scratching at Caulfield - after Weir failed to notify stewards of the whereabouts of the horse.
March 24, 2011 - Weir fined $500 for using 'insulting or abusive language' towards a trackwork supervisor.
May 23, 2013 - Weir fined $7000 after a diuretic was detected in Doing Our Best on raceday at Ballarat on February 16, 2013.
November 2013 - Weir fined $2000 for a stable return breach, leading to Platelet's late scratching from the $1m VRC Sprint Classic.
August 5, 2018 - Stewards adjourn inquiry into tactics - John Allen and Darren Weir quizzed over tactics aboard Bit Of A Lad in the Grand National Hurdle at Sandown with the inquiry adjourned to examine betting records on the race.
September 19, 2018 - Weir fined $5000 for false jump-out information - including wrongly naming seven horses that competed in jump-outs at Ballarat.
October 20, 2018 - Trap For Fools scratched - over concerns about where the gelding had been stabled in the lead-up to the race.
Police have seized four electric shock devices, known as "jiggers", during early morning twin raids on the stables of Melbourne Cup-winning horse trainer Darren Weir.
The prominent trainer was arrested along with two other men during the raids on Weir's Victorian stables at Miners Rest, near Ballarat, and Warrnambool as well as residential properties on Wednesday morning, with police also seizing a substance they believed to be cocaine.
Police presser:
Weir is one of the highest-profile trainers in the country and the most successful trainer in the national trainer's premiership. The Victorian trainer counts hundreds of horses as part of his stable.
Wednesday's raids are another dramatic chapter for the racing industry, still reeling from the ongoing Aquanita scandal where trainers and stablehands were found guilty of doping-related offences.
During the raids, which also occurred at residential properties in Warrnambool, Miner's Rest and Yangery, police also seized what they believed to be an unregistered firearm and what they believed to be a small quantity of cocaine along with the "jiggers".
Weir took out the 2015 Melbourne Cup with Prince of Penzance, ridden by Michelle Payne, who became the first female jockey to claim the prestigious race.
Racing Victoria CEO Giles Thompson specified that no charges had been laid. Police confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that the three men have been released without charge, pending further enquiries.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson confirmed three "jiggers" were seized at one property, with a fourth found at another property.
Mr Paterson confirmed police were looking at the alleged use of jiggers to "enhance the performance" of horses on race day, but said the scope of the investigation went beyond the use of jiggers and into broader integrity issues.
Uniformed and plain-clothed officers swooped on Weir's stables, following months of speculation about an ongoing an investigation.
Weir, 48, from Miners Rest, has been training horses since 1995, and famously won the 2015 Melbourne Cup.
He was arrested along with a 38-year-old Yangery man and a 26-year-old Warrnambool man.
The use of a "jigger", an electrical device, is a serious offence which can result in lengthy penalties.
Track rider Damien Bradbury was given an 18-month disqualification in 2015 after he pleaded guilty to the possession of the electrical device at Mornington racecourse.
Victorian trainer Paul Preusker was slapped with a four year disqualification and jockey Holly McKechnie was disqualified for three years for charges relating to the use of a jigger at the Horsham racecourse in 2007.
At the time the two were disqualified, the practice was described as "abhorrent " by Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board deputy chairman Brain Forrest
Meanwhile, Thompson admitted Wednesday's events were "not good for the image of racing".
Mr Thompson said the arrested men were entitled to the presumption of innocence, saying race stewards were not at the point of issuing bans on trainers or their horses.
"That may change over time," said Mr Thompson.
Detectives from Victoria Police's Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit will now interview the three men.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the trio would be interviewed in relation to sporting integrity matters, including obtaining financial advantage by deception, engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome of an event or event contingency, use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes, and attempting to commit an indictable offence namely obtain financial advantage by deception.
It is understood some vehicles and cars were also examined at Warrnambool and Ballarat.
RSN Racing & Sport radio has reported that federal police visited Weir’s Ballarat stables some weeks ago where they may have seized an item central to an ongoing inquiry.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/rac...ning-trainer-darren-weir-20190130-p50uk5.html
Weir -v- Stewards
The history:
January 2001 - Weir suspended for eight weeks for giving false evidence, in an inquiry regarding the late scratching of mare Amanda Huggenkiss at Warrnambool.
Spring 2002 - Weir fined $1000 for being in possession of tubing gear at Manangatang.
August 2003 - Three Weir horses scratched at Murtoa with equipment seized by stewards, resulting in a three month suspension for tubing a horse on raceday.
May 3, 2006 - Racing Victoria stewards inspect Weir and Jarrod McLean stables at Warrnambool. Tubing gear was discovered, but no charges laid.
February 14, 2008 - Weir fined $15,000 for an elevated TC02 reading.
November 2009 - Weir fined $1500 after Lethal Gal was a late scratching on Ballarat Cup day when stewards discovered the horse had been transferred to another stable.
January 2010 - Time Matters a late scratching at Caulfield - after Weir failed to notify stewards of the whereabouts of the horse.
March 24, 2011 - Weir fined $500 for using 'insulting or abusive language' towards a trackwork supervisor.
May 23, 2013 - Weir fined $7000 after a diuretic was detected in Doing Our Best on raceday at Ballarat on February 16, 2013.
November 2013 - Weir fined $2000 for a stable return breach, leading to Platelet's late scratching from the $1m VRC Sprint Classic.
August 5, 2018 - Stewards adjourn inquiry into tactics - John Allen and Darren Weir quizzed over tactics aboard Bit Of A Lad in the Grand National Hurdle at Sandown with the inquiry adjourned to examine betting records on the race.
September 19, 2018 - Weir fined $5000 for false jump-out information - including wrongly naming seven horses that competed in jump-outs at Ballarat.
October 20, 2018 - Trap For Fools scratched - over concerns about where the gelding had been stabled in the lead-up to the race.
