Detectives from Victoria Police’s sports integrity unit have raided the Ballarat and Warrnambool operations of the state’s premier trainer Darren Weir on Wednesday morning. The Herald-Sun has reported “Weir and two other men have been arrested after police seized a gun and a taser during dawn stable raids.”
Rumours of an investigation into the Weir stable have been circulating around racing for months before the police hit the Weir stables.
Weir’s stable sent out a Commonwealth record of 491 winners and won more than $31 million in prizemoney last season.
A caller told radio station RSN that police arrived at Weir’s stable about 6am to conduct a search of the properties.
Racing Victoria has released a statement on the matter. Almost all media organisations have named Weir but RV’s general manager of integrity Jamie Stier says the organisation was not prepared to name the trainer involved.
“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,” Stier said.
“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.”
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