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Weir arrested

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 8:11 am
by Mr Beefy
Champion Australian trainer Darren Weir and two other men have been arrested after police seized a gun and a taser during dawn stable raids.
Detectives from the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit executed warrants at properties at Warrnambool and Miners Rest, Ballarat as part of an ongoing investigation.

Police executed warrants from just before 6am.
Weir is one of Australia’s most successful trainers, training the 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance.

Detectives from the Ballarat Divisional Response Unit and members of the Australian Federal Police were also involved in this morning’s operation.

Three people have been arrested including a 48-year-old Miner’s Rest man, a 38-year-old Yangery man and a 26-year-old Warrnambool man.

It is believed tbe men will now be interviewed in relation to sporting integrity matters.

They include attempt obtain financial advantage by deception, engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome of event or event contingency, use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes, and attempt to commit indictable offence namely obtain financial advantage by deception.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting the allegations are true, only that they have been made.

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The Herald Sun understands a number of items including a firearm and what is believed to be a “conducted energy device” (a taser) were also seized from the properties.

The investigation remains ongoing and has also been assisted by Racing Victoria.

Allegations at the centre of the inquiry have been under investigation for months.

There have been persistent suggestions video from inside a stable has been a key element of their investigation.

The Herald Sun has chosen not to report on the inquiry because of police concerns the probe might be impacted.

Weir, who has training facilities at Maldon, Ballarat and Warrnambool, is Australia’s most successful trainer.

He last season prepared a Commonwealth record of 491 winners with combined prizemoney earnings of more than $31 million.

Previously based in Stawell, Weir has won the past five Victorian metropolitan premierships since creating “Weir-Town” in Ballarat.

His meteoric rise has been repeatedly questioned by some in racing, and applauded by others.

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

Weir, 48, started out working for other stables, learning his trade as a farrier, strapper and track rider.

He is now one of the largest employers in racing and has hundreds of horses on his books.

Victoria police has in recent years beefed up its commitment to fighting sports corruption.

The sports integrity unit has run investigations in harness racing, tennis and cricket.