Three arrested as police raid top trainer's Victorian stables

A number of items, including a gun and what is thought to be a Taser, have also been seized, the Ballarat Courier reported.

Uniformed and plain-clothed officers swooped on stables owned by Weir at Miners Rest, near Ballarat, and in Warrnambool early on Wednesday.

Weir, 48, from Miners Rest, a 38-year-old Yangery man and a 26-year-old Warrnambool man were arrested, and a number of items - including a firearm and a conducted energy device - were seized, police said. 

The Ballarat Courier reported that “a Victoria Police spokeswoman said the trio would be interviewed in relation to sporting integrity matters, including obtaining financial advantage by deception, engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome of an event or event contingency, use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes, and attempting to commit an indictable offence namely obtain financial advantage by deception. The raids are part of a continuing investigation. No charges have been laid”. 

Racing Victoria (RV) Executive General Manager – Integrity, Jamie Stier, issued the following statement regarding the execution of warrants this morning by Victoria Police in Warrnambool and Ballarat:

“Racing Victoria’s Integrity Services team has been conducting an investigation into the activities of licensed persons in the Warrnambool and Ballarat areas. During the course of our investigation we sought the support of Victoria Police’s Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit on the matter, instigating their investigation.

“The Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit this morning executed warrants at properties in Warrnambool and Ballarat where they arrested three licensed persons for questioning. Members of the Racing Victoria Integrity Services team attended licensed stables to assist Victoria Police and to investigate potential offences against the Rules of Racing.

“As the matters are the subject of on-going investigations by Victoria Police and Racing Victoria we are not at liberty at this time to disclose the identities of the persons arrested nor the details of the investigations.

“Racing Victoria is committed to maintaining the highest integrity standards in our sport and, where appropriate, we will continue to work with Victoria Police on those investigations.”

Darren Weir, a former blacksmith from north-west Victoria, is a massive rags to riches story with now one of the most successful stables in Australia, with winners throughout Victoria and in major races in other states, including the 2015 Melbourne Cup winner, Prince of Penzance. He has had multiple Group One winners in the last five years, and his stable’s winning strike rate is second to none.