Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Darren Weir arrested

Racehorse trainer Darren Weir was ­arrested yesterday and questioned by police after they raided his ­stables in Victoria

Darren Weir at his stables in Ballarat; he collected more than $31 million in prizemoney last season with a commonwealth record of 491 wins. Picture: Aaron Francis

Australia’s most successful racehorse trainer Darren Weir was ­arrested yesterday and questioned by police after they raided his ­stables in Victoria, seizing four electric-shock devices known as “jiggers”, amid a probe that will examine whether imported synthetic drugs, undetectable in blood and urine samples, are being used on horses.

Search warrants were executed simultaneously shortly before 6am yesterday at properties in ­Ballarat and Warrnambool by Victoria Police’s Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit, Australian Federal Police and Racing Victoria’s Compliance Assurance Team.

Officers allegedly seized the four Taser-like electrical devices, an unlicensed gun and cocaine.

Weir, 48, and two licensed trainers, a Yangary man, 38, and a Warrnambool man, 26, were ­arrested, questioned and later released without charge.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson said the raids were in relation to an ongoing investigation into sporting corruption, trying to obtain financial advantage and animal cruelty.

He said the investi­gation into the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer began in August and was instigated by Racing Victoria. He did not rule out further arrests.

“‘What we can say is this involves a number of people connected to the racing industry in Victoria,” he said.

Weir is driven away from the Ballarat West Police Station. Picture: Channel 7

The raids uncovered four jiggers, electronic devices used in training to shock horses and make them run faster.

Mr Paterson said the scope of the investigation extended beyond the use of electric-shock devices.

“The investigation isn’t just about the use of jiggers, it goes to the heart of the offences that relate to sporting integrity, so that’s corrupting betting outcomes,” he said.

“We’re looking at a number of matters. I’m not prepared to detail all those matters today because, as I say, the investigation is ongoing.”

The Australian has been told the importation of synthetic drugs, undetectable in blood and urine samples taken from horses, is ­alleged to be central to an ongoing investigation into the Victorian racing industry involving stewards and police.

The synthetic drug, said to have originated from China, is one ­aspect of the investigation spanning several months.

There are also allegations of snake venom being injected into the troublesome joints of horses as a nerve blocker, masking the pain a horse may be feeling.

Police said there may be video of horses receiving electric shocks and appealed for people with information to come forward.

“I have heard that there may be footage in the public arena … of jiggers being used,” Mr Paterson said.

Weir, whose name was etched into racing folklore in 2015 when he saddled rank outsider Prince Of Penzance to win an already tainted Melbourne Cup — a race soiled by claims of doping made during the Aquanita investigation last year — gave a thumbs-up when released yesterday afternoon.

A saddle is taken at Weir’s Miners Rest stable, Ballarat, in the Australian Federal Police/Victoria Police raid.

He had endured eight hours of questioning before being released. Jarrod McLean, himself a trainer but also foreman to Weir overseeing his Warrnambool base, was interviewed along with employee Tyson Kermond.

Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson said stewards, who are responsible for deciding disciplinary action, had assessed that no action should yet be taken against Weir and the two other ­licensed trainers while the investigation continued.

“We’ll deal with it as soon as we can, as soon as the information comes to light. We don’t sit on that information,” he said.

Under Victorian racing betting rules, winnings are not redistributed if a horse is disqualified.

The TAB refused to comment yesterday.

Weir is Australia’s most successful horse trainer, collecting more than $31 million in prizemoney last season with a commonwealth record of 491 wins.

He leads Winx’s trainer, Chris Waller, by almost 90 wins in this season’s national trainer’s premiership.

Weir took out his trainer’s ­licence in 1995, evolving from a one-horse operator based in Stawell to winning the past five Victorian metropolitan premierships.

This is not the first time Weir has been in the sights of racing authorities.

He was fined $5000 in September for making false or misleading statements over the identity of seven horses.

In 2016, he escaped charges after his horse Signoff was disqualified after testing positive for ibuprofen.

He was also fined in February 2008 after Grey Jeune returned a higher than allowed bicarbonate reading at the 2007 Murtoa Cup.