Darren Weir wants redemption, but how many owners would place their horse with a suspected animal abuser

Darren Weir, a former horse breaker, farrier and journeyman with a reputation as a horse whisperer, emerged from obscurity. Starting as a small-scale trainer in 1995, this determined man from a rural background transformed into a formidable force that came to dominate the 'Sport of Kings' in Victoria. Weir literally rode into town on a horse after hitting a stray kangaroo with his car, then having to remove the two gallopers from the float to ride to his destination. Hailing from Berriwillock, a small town in Victoria, Darren Weir worked with many stables before taking out his owner-trainer license in 1995, and his full license in 1997.

Setting up stables in Stawell, Weir moved to Ballarat in 2001 where he continued to churn out a large number of winners in the country, finally training his first Group 1 winner when She's Archie took out the 2002 South Australian Oaks, thereafter the horse ran 2nd in to the great Mayke Diva in the 2003 cup. Despite regularly training over 100 winners in a season, Weir would have to wait until 2013 to train another Gr.1 winner with Platelet, claiming the Robert Sangster and The Goodwood at Morphettville in in Adelaide. That was somewhat of a turning point for Weir, as in the 2013/14 season he became the first country based trainer to win the Victorian Metropolitan Trainer Premiership. Weir was one of the country's leading trainers, his horses having won over $150 million since 2000 before it all collapsed in a screaming heap with a "conspiracy to defraud racing" charge in 2019.

It's hard to go past the rise and downfall of Victoria's champion trainer Darren Weir and his mates Jarrod McLean, stablehand Tyson Kermond and retired jockey William Hernan - billed as the pin-up boys of racing down south. In a moment it all disappeared.

At the start of the decade he wasn't in the top 10 city trainers, but by the 2015/16 season, Weir had set a new training record with 348 winners in a season, including his famous Melbourne Cup upset win. Weir consistently produced a high volume of successful racehorses and developed a large-scale horse training operation. The pinnacle of his career was the 2015 Melbourne Cup, where he successfully trained the 100-1 underdog, Prince of Penzance to an historic victory. This triumph was made even more remarkable by the fact that Prince of Penzance was ridden by Michelle Payne, who became the first and only female jockey to win Australia's most prestigious horse race. His client base was so vast that his horses were spread over several locations: Miners Rest at Ballarat, Warrnambool (where Jarrod McLean, another trainer who has faced the interest of the stewards in the past, is his foreman) and a private base at Maldon near Castlemaine. He employed a large number of staff, trackwork riders, and more than six jockeys who regularly rode for him in races, gallops, and trials. Banners promoting his expertise with the slogan "Back Weir, drink beer" became a common sight during major racing carnivals, as satisfied racegoers benefited from his training skill and high strike rate.

Then in 2019, his world came crashing down when, on January 29 Victoria Police raided properties owned by Weir. He was later charged with conspiracy to defraud Racing Victoria stewards, engaging in the torturing, abusing, overworking and terrifying of a thoroughbred racehorse, and causing unreasonable pain or suffering to a racehorse. The situation is still an ongoing progress, but it is reasonable to assume that if Weir attempts to return to the training ranks, the majority of individuals will not receive him warmly. Darren Weir has resumed working with thoroughbreds, but it is uncertain when he will resume training them due to the ongoing Racing Victoria investigations.

Weir's four-year disqualification, imposed by the Racing Victoria for the possession of three electrical devices (jiggers) in 2019, concluded on February 6. However, an admission of their use during a court hearing in Warrnambool in December prompted the integrity department to reinitiate an investigation. Consequently, Weir is no longer subject to the disqualification terms and has successfully replaced the sheep and cattle that provided financial sustenance during his hiatus. He has about 30 thoroughbreds from long term clients and supporters at his Baringhup property between Ballarat and Bendigo. It is understood that he has resumed horse breaking and re-education, although he is unable to participate in the preparation of horses for racing. The new charges in September 2023 relate to the use of jiggers on horses Yogi, Red Cardinal and Tosen Basil while they ran on a treadmill at Weir's Warnambool stables in October 2018. Weir, trainer Jarrod McLean and stable hand Tyson Kermond were hit with 10 new charges each from Racing Victoria stewards, with the trio caught on video using jiggers in a 15-minute clip.

At the time of Weir's ban in 2019, he had won 36 Group one races as well as a Melbourne Cup. If the trainer does ever return from this, he may be better served forming a training partnership with a reputable trainer that will keep his profile out of the spotlight, however we are yet to see the end of this unfortunate saga. From rags to riches and back again - surely a precautionary tale for anyone who thinks they're bigger than the sport.