The racing radio RSN Breakfast with the Stars broadcast at Melton has been gazumped by https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/ne...edia-statement
Police have raided the stables of Darren Weir.
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The racing radio RSN Breakfast with the Stars broadcast at Melton has been gazumped by https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/ne...edia-statement
Police have raided the stables of Darren Weir.
Agree Wayne... Hunter Cup publicity on RSN wiped out by a Weird series of events. Taser ???Quote:
Originally Posted by arlington
How is it that Racing Victoria proceed with cases under police investigation while HRV feel they have to let the police/courts play out before they can proceed?
Maybe it’s in the nature of the charges and Weirs decision not to contest them Kev. Possessing a jigger and bring the racing industry into disrepute are not criminal offences, and not contesting the charges means there is no further evidence or testimony required which may compromise the ongoing police investigation
If that is all he did to get 4yrs, it is tough as far as racing penalties.
In 18mths he could choose to appeal the severity
If he has admitted to using a jigger it would seem correct but that would be a criminal charge, wouldn't it?
Is it Kev. Is there a worse offence in racing then horse abuse and cheating? Granted neither offence sustained as yet but the purpose of the jiggers is a far shorter bow to draw then the one you raised some weeks ago about the engagement of a particular driver. And under racing’s rules is easy enough to draw that bow to sustain a penalty of 4 years. For argueably the second most recognisable trainer in the land there are those who would say it’s not enough.
Perhaps Weir could be appealing the severity of the sentence in 18 months time. Or he could be facing a raft of additional charges from racing authorities and police. It is irksome that our offenders could not be dealt with so swiftly by racing authorities but the cases are vastly different beasts, something we may have cause to be grateful for in the future.
In my opinion all of Weir's horses will still be racing better due to having the jigger used on them and the fear of getting another zap ! So why haven't the horses also been barred for a period of time ? With many illegal substances the horse gets stood down until the effect of the substance has worn off or gone from their system. So how is the jigger any different ? The effect will not have worn off yet, their performance is still being enhanced !
There is allegedly video evidence of a jigger being used by Weir but that does not necessarily translate to every horse in the stable has had a jigger used on it. In the case of prohibited substances the horse has usually returned a positive swabs and can be cleared by another test, but how do you determine which horses have had a jigger used on them and which haven’t, and if they are still respondent to the cue and effect.
Having had horses in electric fenced paddockes for many years the effect of a jolt from the fence can be very different, some suspicious for weeks afterwards, others shrug it off in a matter of minutes. How long would you stand them down for Rick? You would be penalising owners for something that they may have no knowledge off. If subsequently it comes to light that the owners had knowledge of what had occurred then they too should feel the effects of the authorities wrath.
For most horses Rick having to change stables, handlers, feed and training regimes mid preparation is likely to be to the detriment of their performance whilst they and their trainers become accustomed to each other, probably more then the enough to negate any enhanced performance that a jigger may have induced from them, though some may grow a leg from a different regime. Not all horses will improve from the use of a jigger, it may cause sufficient anxiety for them that some will run their race before the start, or take to pulling in the run in anticipation. This and the disruption to the preparation is probably detrimental enough that with out proof of guilt owners should not be subject to further penalties.
I suppose what I am getting at is that the negotiated deal in the interests of expediency (and racing and Weir) have not said/proven use of the jiggers (but alluded to it in the 'disrepute' charge) so on face value they could be said to look harsh (because they are hiding the details from the public)
Weir would have done much better if part of our industry. On the above penalty scale, I reckon this bloke could still be serving time instead of being spruiked on the HRV site
http://forum.thoroughbredvillage.com...opic51769.html
https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/art...to-make-majic/
LOL someone sent me the following
"On our scale, Weir could have expected to walk out of the offices of HRV a free man with his sex toys!"
(The jiggers were found hidden in the master bedroom)
Perhaps, Racing Victoria and the police unit have benefited from how the harness racing case has progressed and mutually adopted a different approach from the outset?
I think Racing Victoria has treated D Weir pretty well, so far, especially after reading the RABD transcript, found via this https://www.racenet.com.au/news/read...ement-20190206
The bottom of page 4, starting with "Your record is a comparatively good one. There are numerous race-day offences of no great magnitude....
Is 4 years harsh considering https://www.racenet.com.au/news/darr...ecord-20190206
The RADB chairman writes just below on page 5 :
"There has been no charge of any substance that the Stewards wish to bring to our attention for 15 years. "
Whether the penalty handed down is appropriate or not, it is just mind boggling that anyone could write that, given that the listing has also appeared in so many press articles.
Think the RAD board was trying to justify giving Weir only a penalty of four years. I’ve little doubt if they were trying or actually giving Weir a greater penalty that list would be referred to as a history of scant regard for officialdom and evidence of a culture of offending.