Darren Weir faces six charges, horses scratched
Racing Victoria stewards have charged Darren Weir with six offences under the rules of racing and asked him to show cause as to why he should not be suspended pending the hearing of those charges.
Three of the charges stewards laid against Weir relate to the use of "jiggers" or the use of electronic devices to deliver an electronic shock to affect the performance of a horse.
The show cause hearing involving Weir began with stewards at 4pm AEST on Friday via a telephone hook-up with the trainer being asked to show cause as to why he should not be stood down.
In the meantime the dramatic decision was made by stewards to scratch all Weir and Jarrod McLean-trained horses from the Moonee Valley meeting on Friday night and at Caulfield on Saturday. As part of that ruling stewards ordered all Weir and McLean trained horses accepted for races before Tuesday be scratched.
Stewards then adjourned the show cause hearing until 2pm AEST on Monday.
It means that looming stars Ringerdingding, Nature Strip and Extra Brut will not kick off their Autumn campaigns as expected.
Both Weir and McLean sent notes to their owners after the decision with the Weir stable saying trackwork would continue as normal at Ballarat ahead of Monday's hearing while the trainer explored his legal options.
McLean told owners he intended to contest the charges levelled at him and asked owners to sit tight and wait for the show cause hearing.
Racing Victoria's integrity manager Jamie Stier said the decision to scratch the horses was made in the best interests of racing.
"The stewards also have significant concerns regarding the negative adverse publicity relating to police involvement in relation to Mr Weir and Mr McLean’s training activities is having on public confidence in racing.
"We understand the timing of this order has impacts for owners, punters and race clubs whom we sympathise with, however in the opinion of the stewards the integrity and reputation of the sport is paramount.
"In issuing this interim order, it should be noted that investigations are ongoing."
The news had several owners making contingency plans in the event Weir was stood down although prominent syndicate managers such as OTI's Terry Henderson and Yulong Investments that have horses with Weir were prepared to wait until after the show cause hearings before making decisions on whether to move their horses.
With over 500 horses in work and huge Autumn prizes up for grabs many owners will be forced to make an immediate decision about who trains their horse in the event Weir is stood down.
The charges came as a result of the joint Racing Victoria-police investigation into his training program that saw his Ballarat and Warrnambool stables raided on Wednesday.
Police arrested and questioned Weir, stable foreman Jarrod McLean and staff member Tyson Kermond on Wednesday but they were released without charge.
Stewards then interviewed the trio at Racing Victoria's Flemington headquarters on Thursday in a marathon hearing that ended at 9pm.
McLean and Kermond have also been charged with McLean facing four charges and Kermond facing two charges.
Racing officials have spent Friday considering their legal options in relation to Weir before the charges were announced.
Weir faces three charges relating to each of three "jiggers", or electric or electronic apparatus, capable of affecting the performance of a horse seized at his property on Wednesday as well as two charges for failing to give evidence at Thursday night's stewards' inquiry and one charge of conduct prejudicial to the image, interests and welfare of racing.
McLean faces four charges of a similar nature with just one charge of possession of a "jigger" while Kermond faced two charges for failing to give evidence at the inquiry.
Police seized "jiggers" from the 48-year-old Melbourne Cup winning trainer's stables with allegations of animal cruelty and corrupt betting practices being investigated.
They are yet to lay charges as a result of their investigation with sources suggesting the gathering of evidence required before they make a decision on how to proceed may take several weeks.
Weir is also facing a show cause notice from Racing NSW.