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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-AU link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow'>The stormtroopers have swooped.</span> <o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>It isn't nicknamed Victoristan for nothing!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>They have misrepresented the device as a "taser" (TM). I have a number of </span>“conducted energy devices” (great present for vulnerable daughters Lindsay!) and I and ancient mates, some with stents and by-passes, have zapped ourselves - it's similar to the shock we got back in the days of fiddling with ignition coils, distributors, leads as DIY "mechanics". Grand-nephews 8 & 12 ditto, although their 10yo sister passed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If that is what the police are calling "charges that relate to animal cruelty" they should round up every one who has used a choker collar to train a dog. And just about every pig farmer. And everyone who uses Ratsak - rats are smarter, like pigs, more resourceful and independent than horses - I prefer them as creatures to horses, but no betting on rats - but you can buy Warfarin at Coles and subject rats to days of agony from internal bleeding. I have seen rats jump into a garden pond to try to relieve the agony only to drown when they have not been able to get out.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US> Racing <racing-bounces@ausrace.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>norsaintpublishing@gmail.com<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, 30 January 2019 9:03 AM<br><b>To:</b> AusRace Racing Discussion List <racing@ausrace.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [AusRace] In case you've not read<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>The stormtroopers have swooped. <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, Jan 30, 2019 at 8:54 AM L.B.Loveday <<a href="mailto:lloveday@ozemail.com.au" target="_blank">lloveday@ozemail.com.au</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><h1>Victorian Police sports integrity unit swoop on Darren Weir stable<o:p></o:p></h1><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Leo Schlink and Mark Buttler, EXCLUSIVE, Herald Sun<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>January 30, 2019 7:13am<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Subscriber only<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p>Champion Australian trainer Darren Weir and two other men have been arrested after police seized a gun and a taser during dawn stable raids.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Detectives from the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit executed warrants at properties at Warrnambool and Miners Rest, Ballarat as part of an ongoing investigation.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Police executed warrants from just before 6am.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Police at the Darren Weir stables at Miners Rest, Ballarat, this morning. Picture: Josh FaganDarren Weir celebrates Prince Of Penzance’s win in the 2015 Melbourne Cup. Picture: Jay Town<o:p></o:p></p><p>Weir is one of Australia’s most successful trainers, training the 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Detectives from the Ballarat Divisional Response Unit and members of the Australian Federal Police were also involved in this morning’s operation.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Three people have been arrested including a 48-year-old Miner’s Rest man, a 38-year-old Yangery man and a 26-year-old Warrnambool man.<o:p></o:p></p><p>It is believed tbe men will now be interviewed in relation to sporting integrity matters.<o:p></o:p></p><p>They include attempt obtain financial advantage by deception, engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome of event or event contingency, use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes, and attempt to commit indictable offence namely obtain financial advantage by deception.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Herald Sun</span></em> is not suggesting the allegations are true, only that they have been made.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Herald Sun</span></em> understands a number of items including a firearm and what is believed to be a “conducted energy device” (a taser) were also seized from the properties.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The investigation remains ongoing and has also been assisted by Racing Victoria.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Allegations at the centre of the inquiry have been under investigation for months.<o:p></o:p></p><p>There have been persistent suggestions video from inside a stable has been a key element of their investigation.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Herald Sun</span></em> has chosen not to report on the inquiry because of police concerns the probe might be impacted.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Weir, who has training facilities at Maldon, Ballarat and Warrnambool, is Australia’s most successful trainer.<o:p></o:p></p><p>He last season prepared a Commonwealth record of 491 winners with combined prizemoney earnings of more than $31 million.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Previously based in Stawell, Weir has won the past five Victorian metropolitan premierships since creating “Weir-Town” in Ballarat.<o:p></o:p></p><p>His meteoric rise has been repeatedly questioned by some in racing, and applauded by others.<o:p></o:p></p><p>He leads Winx’s trainer Chris Waller by almost 90 wins in this season’s national trainer’s premiership.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Weir, 48, started out working for other stables, learning his trade as a farrier, strapper and track rider.<o:p></o:p></p><p>He is now one of the largest employers in racing and has hundreds of horses on his books.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Victoria police has in recent years beefed up its commitment to fighting sports corruption.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The sports integrity unit has run investigations in harness racing, tennis and cricket.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal>_______________________________________________<br>Racing mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Racing@ausrace.com" target="_blank">Racing@ausrace.com</a><br><a href="http://ausrace.com/mailman/listinfo/racing_ausrace.com" target="_blank">http://ausrace.com/mailman/listinfo/racing_ausrace.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div></div></body></html>