Darren Weir cleared on corruption charges over use of ‘jigger’
Former trainer Darren Weir has been cleared of three charges of trying to corrupt the outcome of races, including the 2018 Melbourne Cup.
The Victorian Racing Tribunal on Wednesday ruled in favour of Weir in a case also involving his former assistant trainer Jarrod McLean and stablehand Tyson Kermond.
McLean and Kermond were also found not guilty of the corruption charges.
In handing down the tribunal’s finding, Judge John Bowman said his panel was not satisfied that using an electronic device known in the racing industry as a ‘jigger’ affected a race’s outcome.
During a hearing in March, the tribunal was shown video footage of Weir using a ‘jigger’ on three racehorses – Red Cardinal, Tosen Basil, and Yogi – during the 2018 Melbourne spring carnival.
The hearing was told the Victoria Police video footage was taken at Weir’s Warrnambool stable on October 30, 2018.
A week later, Red Cardinal finished among the tailenders in the Melbourne Cup.
Weir pleaded guilty to seven animal cruelty charges when he fronted the VRT on March 18.
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Weir had served a four-year ban for possessing and using ‘jiggers’ and engaging in conduct prejudicial to the image, interests, or welfare of racing.
Since his disqualification ended in February 2023, Weir has been pre-training racehorses for some of Australia’s biggest stables.
The vision of Red Cardinal, Tosen Basil, and Yogi was first shown when Weir, McLean, and Kermond appeared before the Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court.
They avoided criminal convictions after pleading guilty to lesser animal abuse charges.
Staff Writer
Weir and McLean were fined a total of $36,000 and Kermond was ordered to pay $10,000 to the RSPCA.
However, based on the video’s contents, Racing Victoria (RV) stewards reopened an inquiry before issuing 10 new charges.
At the time, Weir was a runaway leader, chasing a sixth successive Australian trainers’ title after preparing a record of 489.5 winners during the 2017/18 racing season.
Weir pleaded guilty to three RV charges of using a jigger on horses, three charges of animal cruelty and one charge of improper and dishonourable conduct.
A directions hearing has been set for early next week for a submission on penalties for those charges.
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