Redemption for Weir?

[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.

[holy ravioli]

Deserves redemption.Look at the kid gloves Damien Oliver was treated with.

[nod]

Quted for a practice that had been widespread in the industry for decades

Sales of Vicks solid