Chief Stipe

EXCLUSIVE: Weir ‘had an addiction to winning races': Waller Trainer Chris Waller (left) has called on former rival Darren Weir to “come out and explain” the jigger scandal that saw him disqualified for four years. Pictures: File By Bruce Clark 02:03pm • 25 December 2023 Star Sydney trainer Chris Waller has called on disgraced horseman Darren Weir to "come out and explain" the jigger scandal that saw him disqualified for four years. While much of the industry has shunned the former leading trainer, Waller – along with the likes of Lloyd Williams and Ciaron Maher – is one of a select few industry titans currently sending Weir horses to pre-train at his Trevenson Park property in Central Victoria. "It's such a sad situation," Waller said, reflecting on the circumstances surrounding Weir's disqualification. "He had an addiction to winning races, but he didn't need to do what he did – and one day he needs to come out and explain that, which I hope he does. * EXCLUSIVE: ‘It ate away at me, the first couple of years were very tough': Weir's exile revealed "Look, there probably isn't anybody in racing who doesn't know things like that were going on and had been going on. "He took it too far, he was obsessed with winning and with the pressure of results. "I just hope when he talks that he is understood. People who don't really understand racing in the community will probably never understand, but then if you come out and support him, it's like a black mark. "One thing is that you can see by the people who are supporting him, the respect he has in the industry and what a genius he was, sure – it was a big mistake." Chris Waller (left) and Darren Weir are seen together in the mounting yarn on Caulfield Guineas Day in 2016. Picture: Ian Currie Before Weir's suspension, he and Waller were close rivals for the national trainer's premiership. The last time they were in competition, in 2017-18, Weir won with 489.5 winners, with Waller second on 337.5 but leading the metropolitan tally 252.5 to 207. Weir never completed the following season but still had 265 winners to February when his disqualification started. Waller – who rated Weir "my biggest threat as a horse trainer" – finished the season at the end of July with 339 in total. "He's a genius horseman. I had the utmost respect for him and thought ‘how good is this guy,' and I wanted to know what made him work," Waller said. Waller has up to eight to 10 horses – including 2023 Melbourne Cup runner-up Soulcombe – in pre-training with Weir and he was glowing in his description of how his horses came back to him. "It's quite phenomenal what he does. I'll keep sending horses there (to Weir at Trevenson), I wish I could do more, he's a genius." Darren Weir celebrates Prince of Penzance's Melbourne Cup victory in 2015. Picture: File Waller's support has extended to Weir's family, with his eldest daughter Taige – who Waller anointed as "the next Annabel Neasham or Gai Waterhouse" – spending about six months working in Waller's Melbourne stable. "Look there will always be haters, but a big part of why I'm forgiving is his two beautiful daughters (Taige and Bonnie) – They have had to deal with this as well," Waller said. "Taige could have come here and run a stable living off her name, but she didn't. She just came and worked. "She's a lovely person, a future star, every much in the mould of an Annabel Neasham or Gai, she will be a brilliant trainer when she gets her licence." * EXCLUSIVE: ‘It ate away at me, the first couple of years were very tough': Weir's exile revealed Australian Bloodstock is one of the industry's most prominent syndicators, with Melbourne Cup victories through Protectionist (2014) and Gold Trip (2022). And while they also raced Red Cardinal – one of the horses central to the "jigger case" – that didn't stop Australian Bloodstock becoming one of the first organisations to support Weir's pre-training endeavours at Trevenson Park. Australian Bloodstock's chief Jamie Lovett. Picture: File "Look there are obviously things that have been done that I wouldn't agree with and I don't know the full circumstances, but I'm not going to sit in judgment like others who want to hang him (Weir) out for life," Australian Bloodstock chief Jamie Lovett said. "He's one of Australia's greatest horseman, true and genuine horseman at that, we might be a big industry, but we don't have many like him, and probably none better. "He's been lost to our industry long enough, he's served his penalty and more, so to have him available to prepare our horse is a no-brainer," Lovett said.

Have you been to China and done business? Business there is as far from Communism as you could imagine. Although Xi Jinping is going to try his best at winding back the clock to before the economic reforms. Shame really but great data for showing that free market reforms in a communist country can actually turn things around.

No wonder things are stuffed in that area. Talk about jobs for the old boys. She's been around since Methuselah and had her fingers in the Thoroughbred and Racing pie(s) - but eh let's keep doing the same old thing ad infinitum... it might work one day! I had the fortunate experience of tagging along with a good friend to watch their horse race on Wakefield Stakes Day at Trentham. I was starting to think that Tony Lee had lost it but his commentary that day was spot-on and entertaining even if it must have been hard watching the horse through piles of dirt and rubble!

I'd rather do market deals with the Chinese than many in NZ. They're the oldest traders in the world and are always looking for a deal. That's how markets work.

You really need to ask? At least in NZ you own your house and at the end of your life you can redistribute your wealth to your children or friends. Plus you don't need to start working in a real job until at least age 16.

Of the big successful stables who haven't you thought were dodgy? Illegal? Illegal in the sense they broke the "one clear day" rule by administering something LEGAL 24+ hours prior to the race the horses were entered for. How are you sure it was or is a regular occurrence? You are speculating. Let it go. He wasn't the only trainer using Blue Magic 20 years ago - you don't seem to treat Mark Purdon the same. You THINK they are dodgy based on limited real evidence that they are. The animal welfare approach isn't an excuse. All successful trainers know that a healthy happy horse is a winning horse unless of course they are a Lord Module.

What has she got to do with it? Surely we are past her by now? If she didn't have a good hairdresser she'd be stale!

60 years of sweat and slavery to live in a shoe box...not long after that...an incinerator awaits and your belongings are redistributed. The wonderful world of Communism.

Free markets do exist. Obviously you've never been involved in real word trade. That's a sad view on life. I take it you live alone. Take care of yourself. I'm not a great fan of Christmas myself but not because of the gift giving but because of past sadness and missing people I love. But I try hard not to be a Grinch:

Oh dear you do lack comprehension skills. I said there are markets in every country working effectively including China. Just as there are markets that are not working effectively in many countries because of centralised control and bureaucratic largesse and inefficiency. Why don't you remove the socialist blinkers, then the communist blind fold and open your eyes...at least for Christmas?!

Free markets operate in every country including China. It is only control freaks like yourself and Cindys Labour Government that distort those markets by trying to enforce excessive controls.

Successful markets are all around you. Open your eyes. Hell you're the only person I know who runs around with blinkers on top of a blind fold with their eyes closed.

What else was she doing? But she didn't administer anything that was detrimental to the horses health for obvious reasons. Which requires an elite athlete being at or near peak fitness and health. No but you are behaving like it is a hanging offence.

TURNPIKE JOE - held up early and middle stages of the run home. Driver D Butcher was warned for contacting the sulky wheel of PETER FORSBERG passing the 50m. In considering this matter Stewards took into account the minimal consequential effects. Following the normal post meeting review of this race Stewards questioned Driver D Butcher (TURNPIKE JOE) regarding the tactics he adopted during this event. Mr Butcher stated that TURNPIKE JOE, which was having its fourth race day start, was competing against far more seasoned horses so he had elected to go back at the start before shifting down on to the marker line near the 2200m to follow runners which he rated as the main chances. Mr Butcher further stated that although he had the opportunity to shift out to follow PETER FORSBERG near the 1300m he decided not to do so given that gelding's recent performances. Mr Butcher then explained that he had been content to remain on the marker line racing down the back the final time and on the home turn given the strong tempo throughout but had then had difficulty obtaining clear running until approaching the 50m mark. After considering Mr Butcher's explanation, Stewards were satisfied that the tactics he adopted were not so unreasonable given the circumstances as to be culpable and took the matter no further other than to note Mr Butcher's comments.

It does actually but you're blinded. Of course you can offer no realistic alternative. That's point actually you haven't offered any alternative.

It works everywhere everyday. Your socialist experiment of the last 6 years was an absolute failure.

That's why you continue to support a failed ideology.

The only way to fix it is allow the market play and remove all the constraints.

Join Boys Get Paid.

It's effectively the same thing. Dear oh dear. Can be called an accumulator or a parley or a mug bet.

It's called a Multi. But why reduce your winnings over time? Essentially you've handed over your buying power to the bookie for the day.

I gather you are willing to find excuses for Walker but not Stewart? In the Wigg case possibly a fine however there were some differences between her case and the Stewart and Walker cases. She was caught administering on race day. No one clear day ambiguity there. But most trainers don't do anything and some fly under the radar. Stewart was out by a few hours. Arguably, using your logic, the other trainers don't keep their horses healthy. But at least by inference you now agree that illegal PED's weren't being administered. So you're saying someone shouldn't have legal representation and just roll over? The law doesn't work like that. It needs to be challenged. Unfortunately in racing those that challenge are up against a bottomless pit of funding and it has broken some. I don't see you arguing against the millions of industry money spent by the RIB. In some of these case yes. But the penalties are couched in terms of "a fine up to x amount and or a disqualification up to x amount".

Yes I've read it and discussed it online. The facts are the same namely: A therapeutic substance was administered to a horse inside one clear day of it racing. Yes I've read that. What's your point? The foreman was only following the instructions of the Trainer. The Trainer was fully responsible. Your point? As I said ignorance is not a defence. However one can argue that the one clear day rule is ambiguous but that's a different matter. I haven't argued they should be treated differently however the rules allow for varying penalties. I've argued that the penalty and the consequences should match the crime. Walker got a fine - why shouldn't Stewart be treated in a similar fashion? What you are suggesting is far from common sense. How are the other trainers "victims"?