Disqualified trainer Darren Weir and Group 1 trainer Jarrod McLean charged by police with animal cruelty and conspiracy offences
A one-time Melbourne Cup favourite and a Sandown Cup winner formerly trained by Darren Weir are allegedly at the centre of animal cruelty and conspiracy offences issued by Victoria Police against the trainer and three other men.
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Races involving former Darren Weir horses Red Cardinal, Yogi and Tosen Basil are allegedly at the centre of animal cruelty and conspiracy offences, after Victoria Police issued 33 charges against the trainer and three other men.
Weir, 49, faces nine charges, including three of allegedly “torturing, abusing, overworking and terrifying” horses. The Melbourne Cup-winning handler was banned for four years in February after raids at his home found jiggers — devices that give horses electric shocks.
Weir’s former Warrnambool stable foreman and fellow Group 1 trainer Jarrod McLean, 39, faces 16 charges, including alleged animal cruelty, conspiracy and possession of cocaine.
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Weir’s former stablehand Tyson Kermond, 27, of Warrnambool, faces seven charges, including conspiracy and animal cruelty.
Former jockey William Hernan, 31, of Warrnambool, faces one count of using corrupt conduct information.
All four will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 23.
The Herald Sun believes Victoria Police will allege links between Red Cardinal, a one-time Melbourne Cup favourite, Sandown Cup winner Yogi and high-priced Japanese import Tosen Basil and some of the accused.
All three horses were trained by Weir.
Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson last night said the alleged conduct was “distressing”.
“These are serious charges and the nature of the alleged conduct described within the charges is distressing to all within the racing industry, as well as the general community,” he said.
McLean, Kermond and Hernan will face Racing Victoria stewards on Thursday after being charged by police.
The trio will be part of three separate inquiries after police issued them with corruption and animal cruelty charges.
Mr Thompson added: “Upon the issuing of charges today, our stewards have immediately opened inquiries and ordered three persons to attend tomorrow afternoon to answer questions in relation to the charges. Those inquiries will dictate our next steps.”
Weir has been under investigation since January when his Ballarat and Warrnambool stables were raided.
He, McLean and Kermond were arrested and released without charge after the January 29 raids.
Weir agreed to accept a disqualification for four years by Racing Victoria in February, when he walked away from racing as his training empire — one of the biggest of the world — crumbled.
His vast network of stables was sold within days as a host of champion horses shifted to new trainers and the racing industry recoiled at the shock of his abrupt fall.
The co-ordinated raids were part of an investigation which began in August 2018.
Three jiggers were found in Weir’s Ballarat bedroom. A fourth was allegedly found at a location used by him.
McLean is still in the process of answering charges over a jigger allegedly found at a Yangery property, near Warrnambool.
He is believed to be considering standing down from training in the wake of yesterday’s charges and has approached Racing Victoria to transfer his horses to another trainer.
Police have interviewed Weir and his former associations on multiple occasions.
Photographic evidence is believed to have been presented to Weir during the course of those interviews, amid allegations horses had been hit with the jiggers while exercising on treadmills.
The Herald Sun believes cameras were secretly planted in Weir’s Ballarat stables.
Images from those cameras are known to be central to the police case against Weir.
Victoria Police’s sporting integrity intelligence unit has quizzed Weir and McLean and others on several lines of inquiry.
The unit is probing activity including obtaining financial advantage by deception and engaging in conduct that corrupts, or would corrupt, a betting outcome of an event or event contingency.
Police are believed to have used recording devices such as cameras and phone taps during the investigation. Several races from last year are under scrutiny.
The Mackinnon Stakes and Grand National Hurdle, which were won by McLean-trained Trap For Fools and Cougar Express respectively, are also known to have drawn the attention of authorities.
The Sandown Cup, won by Weir-trained Yogi, is another race under the microscope.
Originally published as Disqualified trainer Darren Weir and Group 1 trainer Jarrod McLean charged by police with animal cruelty and conspiracy offences