I’ve spoken about Darren Weir previously in this column, and have decided on this occasion to follow his fortunes at the May, 2018 carnival of racing at Warrnambool in the southwest of Victoria.
Darren Weir has been leading Country Trainer in Victoria since 2005 [and Australia wide in more recent years], and is generally regarded as a perfectionist by nature , leaving no stone unturned, in getting the greatest ability out of each horse. Over the period 2009/2010 to 2016/2017, his winning strike rate ranged between 13.7 % [2012/2013] to 17.8% [2013/2014], while in the current year, his present winning rate is 15.1%, including 152 metropolitan wins and 7 Group One victories. In the 2016/2017 season, of 2,686 runners, his results were 449 [1st], 355 [2nd], and 323 [3rd] for total prizemoney in that year alone of $24,650,054.
From various published profiles, we learn that Darren was born in Berriwillock, a tiny Mallee District town in Victoria, whose population is only slightly more than the total number of staff Darren now employs across his vast thoroughbred racing business. Darren left school at age 15 and quickly sought to learn and experience all he could about horses, including a period working at the world renowned Lindsay Park training complex. He spent a few months working in a stable in Ireland, and on returning to Australia, Darren worked again at the Lindsay Park Stud. In 1990, he moved to Stawell and began working as a farrier, servicing trainers in the Wimmera and Western District areas of Victoria. Weir began breaking-in horses for a large state wide client base.
He eventually obtained his Owner-Trainer License in 1995 and his Full License in 1997. When he relocated to Ballarat in August 2001, he purchased the Ballarat establishment Forest Lodge and major renovations and extensions were undertaken and the facilities have constantly being upgraded since then. The property has top class facilities and is becoming a Centre of training excellence. The utmost priority is for the facilities to be safe for the horses and staff. This ensures that the horses receive the best care available and are happy in their environment. The Ballarat stable has a swimming pool, 2 walking machines, indoor & outdoor riding arenas, 2 undercover treadmills and hyperbaric stables & treadmill. There is also a 1400m uphill synthetic track located at the Ballarat racecourse. Darren also has a training complex at Warrnambool which has access to the beach, treadmill, water walker and swimming pool.
For this article, I’m directing particular interest to his recent involvement at the annual Warrnambool racing and jumps carnival, held at the beginning of May, each year, by the Warrnambool Racing Club. The Club is steeped in over 160 years of history, and annually hosts some of Victoria’s premier jumps races. Warrnambool is a regional centre and former port city on the south-western coast of Victoria, with at June 2016, an estimated urban population of 34,618. The city is situated on the southern coastal region of Victoria at the western end of the historic Great Ocean Road.
In 2017, Darren Weir trained 14 winners over the 3 day carnival at Warrnambool [from a total of 46 starters across 30 races]. On Day 1 [4 winners], Day 2 [5] and Day 3 [5] He also had four winners on Day 1 in 2016, and as we will see, he would repeat that feat on the first day of the 2018 carnival John Allen, the jockey who rides both flat and jumps races on a regular basis for Weir, himself rode 7 winners over the 3 days of the 2017 carnival, the most ever for a single jockey at the carnival.
But Weir himself would be non-plussed about his chances of repeating his 2017 figures this year – as one journalist wrote on Tuesday prior to the carnival “In Darren Weir’s inimitable style, he’s talking down his prospects at Warrnambool this week, saying, ‘I’d be happy to get a winner a day’. There’s little doubt because of weight of numbers, that Weir will achieve that aim, and it’s more a case of how many winners he can train each day….Numbers wise, Weir’s assault is even stronger this year. He has 63 runners – 16 on Tuesday [3 were scratched], 23 on Wednesday, and 24 on Thursday. ‘I’m pretty sure 14 won’t be happening again’, he said…………….If you had put $1 on all of Weir’s starters at Warrnambool last year, you would have received a return of $95.70 for their $46 outlay”. This writer is hoping for that kind of return in 2018, on a slightly larger [though quite small compared to most punters] ‘investment’ on the great trainer’s success rate!
Day One of the Carnival, Tuesday, May 1st.
Day One began with a big program of 10 races, to get the 2018 carnival underway, and the Weir stables would have a total of 13 horses competing in all but one of the races. The day’s program would include four Hurdle races, and one Steeple event [which would be one of five feature races over the three days].
Race 1: George Taylor Memorial Hurdle [3200 metres] – No. 1: Bit Of A Lad [John Allen]: [3rd ]. 9 starters: started out last:, and stayed that way still halfway through the race, but came home strongly under John Allen to finish a long third behind the two leaders – race won by the first favourite of the day ‘Cougar Express [Jockey: Brad McLean, trainer Jarrod A McLean] – local brothers!! All 9 horses around safely. My price: $1.95 for the place.
Race 2: TAB Hurdle: [3200 metres] – No. 5: It’s A Silvertrail [John Allen] : [2nd.] My odds on Unibet: $3.70 and $1.60. Started as the favourite, and got off to a good start and was amongst the leaders throughout the race – in the final 100 metres, Silvertrail had the race at it’s mercy, but a strong finish by the stayer, Kothu Rotti, ridden by C Douglas, trainer John McArdle [another Warrnambool trainer]. All 9 horses around safely.
Race 3: Choices Flooring Maiden Hurdle [3200 metres]: No. 3: Danesai [John Allen]. [ 4th ]. 11 starters. My odds: $5.50 and $2.10. This horse was near the rear of the field for much of the race, but another strong ride towards the end of the race, saw Weir’s horse just miss out on the third placing – his horses run 4th so many times [and in my view, try to come from too far behind, too late!!]. Anyway, the winner: Flying Casino, ridden by L. Horner, trained by Eric Musgrove [veteran jumps trainer]. All gorses appeared to get around safely.
Race 4: Simons Waterfront Plate, [1200 metres]: No. 5: Night Falls [Damian Lane] – two other Weir entries were scratched [Chouxter, and Helcrimson] . [ First] There were 13 starters in this first of the flat races. A bit of a worry for the trainer, dropping the horse back to the 1200 metres, but then in the closing stages, at the race favourite, Night Falls powered away, and Weir was relieved [as were the punters] to finally get a win after 4 races on Day 1. My odds: $1.85 & $1.16. The winner: Night Falls [Damien Lane – Darren Weir].
Race 5: Callaghan Motors Vobis Gold Strike [1000 metres]. Two horses for Weir – She’s Our Reward [Dean Yendall] [5th] and Limeshow [Damien Lane] [6th] , my odds were $5.00 & $1.85, and $6.50 & $2.15. Neither horse really in with a chance over the 1000 metres and finished in the middle of the field of 9 starters. Winner was debut starter Write Enuff [Craig Williams – Kevin Keys].
Race 6: 3YB Scotty Stewart Brierly Steeple [3450 metres]: Now and Zen [John Allen]. Lost rider!! There were 11 starters. My odds: $7.00 & $2.35. Disaster at the first jump – Now And Zen threw his jockey, John Allen, and a short while later, the riderless Weir horse ran another of the horses off the track, resulting in 9 horses finishing the race. Jockey John Allen was okay, he walked back to the stalls. The winner was the local horse Gold Medals, ridden by Shayne Jackson, trained by Symon Wilde. The defending champion, favourite, and top weight, Zen Em came in second, just.
Race 7: Cally Hotel Handicap [2350 metres]: Big Hammer [Dean Yendall]. [First] 11 starters in this race, my odds $3.60 & $1.55. Horse position not looking good for the first 1500 metres or so, and then Yendall encouraged the horse to go forward, and as they entered the long straight, Big Hammer away, and despite a late challenge from the second placed horse, it was another strong Weir win, one of many he has achieved in this race, and his second win for the day [still half of his winners last year, with 5 horses still in the running. Winner: Big Hammer [Dean Yendall- Darren Weir].
Race 8: I Am Warrnambool Handicap [1700 metres]. Weir has the top three weighted runners in this race – Grand Dreamer [Fred Kersley], Tradesman [John Allen] [First], and Mongolian Wolf [Damian Lane] [3rd] My odds are, in the above horse order – $23.00 & $4.80; $1.95 & $1.16; and $9.50 & $2.45. There were 10 starters, but a beautiful ride by John Allen [after a frustrating start to the day, including being thrown off his horse in the Steeplechase], and when he went for home on Tradesman, the race was soon over. The third Weir horse came in third position. Winner: Tradesman [John Allen – Darren Weir].
Race 9: Carlton Draught Handicap [1000 metres]. No Weir horse, Choisborder was entered but scratched overnight. The race had a big field of 15 starters for the sprint down the straight. Winner: Manhattan Spirit [Damien Thornton – Mattie Williams]
Race 10: Idetect Handicap [1200 metres]: Weir horses were Jaws Of Steel [Damian Lane] [First] and Accreditation [Dean Yendall] We had 11 starters in the final race of Day 1. And the race brought up Win No. 4 for Darren Weir [for the third year in a row], with Jaws Of Steel charging to the front in the final stages and going on with it. Accreditation finished back in the middle pack. The winner: Jaws Of Steel [Damian Lane – Darren Weir]
From one report of the day’s racing [from the Weir aspect], Michal Manley [Herald Sun] wrote “It was an action-packed Brierly [Steeple] early as Now And Zen lost rider John Allen at the first fence. The riderless Now And Zen then went left and ran Zataglio off the track at the second fence. Trainer Darren Weir wasn’t certain whether Now And Zen would run in the Grand Annual [Steeple on Thursday] as he thought missing a run in the Brierly could affect his chances of seeing out the 5,500m. Allen bounced back two races later to win on the Weir-trained Tradesman”.
Day Two of the Carnival, Wednesday, May 2nd.
With Day 2 approaching, Darren Weir had 23 horses entered to start in 9 of the 10 races on the card, including Hale Soriano in the 3,450 metre Steeple, and Ancient King in the 3,200 metre Galleywood Hurdle. By morning, he had scratched two horses, leaving 21 to run.
As for today’s two Jumps races, Hale Soriano in the Steeple has been racing consistently over the smaller jumps, and the experts see no reason why the horse will not go close to winning this race, in which it will likely start as the favourite. The horse is a 7yo chestnut gelding (male) from United Kingdom and was sired by the stallion Halling out of the dam Sureyya. Hale Soriano has managed to win 5 races in his career so far. Ancient King, in the feature Hurdle race, as the top weight, has been racing recently in flat races with not surprisingly, no success apart from achieving the desired race fitness, but now gets back over the jumps where he has a super record, and can win. Ancient King is a 8yo brown or black gelding (male) from Ireland, and was sired by the stallion Ramonti out of the dam Queen Of Rap. The horse has managed to win 11 races in his career so far. On 6th Aug 2017 at Sandown Lakeside, Ancient King scored one of his most significant wins in the Grand National Hurdle.
Race 1: Winning Edge Presentations Maiden [1400 metres]: Weir had three starters in this 8 horse race – Donndubhan [John Allen] [4th], Truly High [Damian Lane] [First] and Champagne Friday [Dean Yendall] [2nd]. My odds for the race in order of the three mentioned horses – $5.50 & $1.65; $3.90 & $1.40, and $4.20 & $1.45. Weir got the Quinella with this race [in fact, the three Weir horses finished in the first 4 placings] – with the more fancied Champagne Friday just beaten on the line by stablemate Truly High, a perfect start for the man of our project!! Winner: Truly High [Damian Lane – Darren Weir].
Race 2: Warrnambool Football/Netball Maiden [1700 metres]: there were no Weir horses in this race. Winner: Aljamaal [Luke Nolan – M.A.Townsend]
Race 3: Warrnambool Greyhound RC Maiden [1700 metres]: Two Weir horses in this race – Big Bad Baz [Brad Rawiller] [First] and Count Zero [John Allen] [3rd]. My odds – $1.65 & $1.08, and $7.50 & $1.85. I didn’t see this race initially, but it proved to be yet another success for Darren Weir [Win No. 6 for the carnival], with Big Bad Baz winning as the clear favourite on this occasion, with Weir’s other horse coming in third in a small field. The winner: Big Bad Baz [Brad Rawiller – Darren Weir]
Race 4: Decron Dunroe Steeple [3450 metres]: Weir’s runner was Hale Soriano [John Allen] [FF] with my odds being $3.50 & $1.45. Unfortunately, our runner did not finish the race – racing around 3rd/4th for most of the raced, the horse stumbled at the third last jump, and fell right back at the tail of the field, and was apparently pulled up by Allen. The winner: The Dominator [Steven Pateman – Henry Dwyer] – this horse led from the start of the race, was literally dominating and setting a dashing tempo, and for a large part of the race was 8-10 lengths in front of all others in the field of 8 starters, and looked likely to go all the way without being seriously challenged – but, after 3,400 metres, the last 50 metres proved a thrilling finish with second-placed King Kamada also stealing the race at the end!! It would almost have being an injustice for The Dominator to lose.
Race 5: Bottle – O Warrnambool Maiden [1700 metres] – again, we had the two Weir horses in a field of 10 starters – Golden Song [John Allen] [2nd], and Set With Jewels [Dean Yendall] [3rd]. My odds were $9.50 & $2.80, and $8.00 & $2.55 respectively. On this occasion, the Weir horses finished together behind the eventual winner, yet another local horse and trainer.. Winner: Von Mystic [Damian Lane – Aaron Purcell].
Race 6: Galleywood Hurdle [3200 metres]: the Weir runner was Ancient King [John Allen] [3rd] in a small field of just six runners. Odds on Ancient King were $2.40 & $1.45. This race was the second of the five feature races over the three day carnival. The ‘King’ got off to a strong start, jumped well, but halfway through the race came under challenge from the eventual winner – Two Hats, which fell in this race last year – another local winner, very well received by the patriotic Warrnambool crowd, while Ancient King finished back in third place, with no third dividend due to the small field. Winner: Two Hats [Braidon Small – Aaron Purcell].
Race 7: Silvan Ridge Futurity [1400 metres]: the Weir horses were Sarkozy [John Allen] [9th] and Allspice [Dean Yendall] [7th], with odds of $23.00 & $6.00, and $11.00 & $3.40, not two of the stable’s best chances for the day. One of the earlier favourites for the race was another Weir horse, Furion, which was scratched overnight. Both horses proved not to be a chance, and finished back in the field of 12 horses.. Winner: the favourite, Honey Esprit [Ms Jamie Kah – C.W.McDonald].
Race 8: Wangoom Handicap [1200 metres]; Weir horses here total four of a field of 15 starters. They were: Ulmann [John Allen] [6th], Stellar Collision [Brad Rawiller] [2nd], Ozi Choice [Damian Lane] [5th], and Handsome Thief [Dean Yendall] [First]. My odds on each horse were $14.00 & $4.20; $8.00 & $2.75; $12.00 & $3.70; and $4.60 & $1.90. This race was the second of today’s feature races, two more features to come tomorrow, and is described by some as the ‘Newmarket Handicap’ of the ‘bush’. Last year, the race was Quinelled by the Weir team with Ullman and Stellar Collision. The trainer did it again, with his second Quinella for the day, and with last year’s unlucky runner-up beaten into second place again, behind the race favourite, Handsome Thief. The other two Weir runners finished just outside the placings in 5th and 6th positions. Winner: Handsome Thief [Dean Yendall – Darren Weir].
Race 9: Sinclair Wilson [1700 metres]: a race of eleven starters including three Weir horses – Lucky For All [Dean Yendall] [First], Heavenly Thought [Brad Rawiller] [2nd], and Zedinator [John Allen] [5th]. My odds backed were $2.05 & $1.18; $3.00 & $1.34; and $19.00 & $4.00, a couple of likely chances included there. Would you believe – yet another race Quinella to the Weir stables – Lucky For All [the favourite] wins, ahead of Heavenly Thought, and Weir has his 4th winner for the day. Mind you, the winner had to fight off his stable mate in the closing stages, after a brilliant ride by Yendall along the fence. Winner: Lucky For All [Dean Yendall – Darren Weir].
Race 10: Warrnambool Hyundai [1400 metres] – with the scratching of Nacar, Weir still had three starters in this race of 14 horses. They were – Think Babe [Dean Yendall] [3rd], Minoan Spirit [Harry Coffey] [12th], and Kevin’s Time [Declan Bates] [7th], with odds of $2.90 & $1.45; $21.00 & $6.00; and $34.00 & $9.00. Think Babe, the favourite took the lead in the straight, but was soon challenged and beaten into 3rd place. The other two Weir horses were never a chance, despite Kevin’s Time threatening to move forward in the middle stages. Winner: The Mood I’m In [Jarrod Fry – Vince Malady].
In summary, Darren Weir would end the day’s program with other 4 winners. He celebrated his 48th birthday today with those four winners at Warrnambool, including the Quinella in the feature flat race, the Wangoom Handicap (1200m), with Handsome Thief defeating Stellar Collision. Weir has trained eight winners for the carnival but needs another six on Thursday to equal his record of 14 set last year Last year he ended the second day on nine winners and that looked almost certain to be the case as his galloper Think Babe was well clear in the straight in the last race but was run down by The Mood I’m In close to the line and weakened to finish third. Prior to that he had won races with Truly High ($6.50), Big Bad Baz ($1.55), Handsome Thief ($2.90) and Lucky For All ($1.95). He also trained four seconds and four thirds from his 19 starters and Quinealled three races.
Talking afterwards, both Weir and jockey Dean Yendall paid homage to the stable’s track walker Darren Murphy. Weir said Murphy had a plan for his each of his starters and it made the difference in a competitive race such as the Wangoom Handicap. “He had a plan as to where they should position and the jockeys got it 100 per cent right,” Weir said.
Day Three of the Carnival, Thursday, May 3rd.
From the Weir websites, we read that for Thursday, Weir had a strong hand as he attempts to win the Warrnambool Cup for a fifth consecutive year with four runners headed by the $2.90 favourite Kiwia, the second favourite at $5 Yogi, Gallic Chieftain at $9.50 and Master Of Arts at $13. Weir, though, is concerned that Kiwia, who finished second to Qewy in the Bendigo Cup in the spring, might be a run short due to his unlucky second at Caulfield last start behind Self Sense. “He didn’t have the hit-out I wanted to go into a race of this nature,” Weir said. “He didn’t get the tough run I wanted.” Weir said Kiwia worked well at Ballarat on Saturday with a strong gallop designed to compensate for him not having the run he wanted at Caulfield. Weir said last-start Flemington winner Gallic Chieftain was in great condition. “If he can put two in a row together he’ll be hard to beat. It was a tough win at Flemington.” Weir also said Yogi could be a run short having had just the two runs back from a spell. Weir said his other starter Master Of Arts was fit and would come right into calculation if the rain came. Weir said Now And Zen would contest the Grand Annual Steeplechase today after he lost his rider in the Brierly Steeplechase on Tuesday. “I would have liked to have seen him finish the Brierly so we’re guessing a bit. He went to beach in the morning and he’s fine.”
Race 1: Hammonds Paint Novice Hurdle [3200 metres] – a race decimated by scratchings, leaving just four starters, including Weir’s Duke Of Boneo [John Allen] [3rd]. My odds were $1.60 & $1.08. The ‘Duke’ started favourite, placed 2nd and ready to strike for most of the race – as the four horses strolled along in Indian file, or as the race caller noted ‘there’s not much happening’. But then, with 50 metres to go, and the ‘Duke’ in front, the Weir horse got the staggers and was over-run to the line, finishing third!! The winner: Getting Leggie, ridden by Steven Pateman, and trained by young South Australian, Nick Smart.
Race 2: No Fuss Event Hire Handicap [1200 metres] – 8 starters, including the Weir horse Kaplumpich [John Allen] [2nd], which went into the race as favourite. My odds were $2.35 & $1.20. A, second Weir horse, No Emotion which would have been a first starter was scratched overnight. In this race, the Weir horse was beaten into 2nd place, and while a protest was lodged against the winner for interference, that was eventually dismissed. The winner: Tee Train [Craig Williams – Symon Wilde]
Race 3: Schweppes Handicap [1400 metres]: another small field of 7 runners, including Rising Hope [Dean Yendall] [5th]. No luck in this race for Rising Hope [perhaps ‘diminishing’ hope is a more appropriate name!!]. My odds were $6.00 & $2.65 with the horse coming in 5th.. The winner: La Fleurette [Ms Nicky Nerriman –Symon Wilde, two out of 3 races so far for this trainer].
Race 4: Ludeman Real Estate Handicap [2000 metres]: We had three Weir horses in this race, a field of 15 starters. They were: Golden Flag [John Allen] [5th] Thunder Cloud [Brad Rawiller] [First]; Zelenus [Dean Yendall] [14th], with my odds on the race being $8.00 & $2.45; $6.50 & $2.15; and $26.00 & $6.00. The favourite was a horse called Hangman who had the race in control – until Weir’s Thunder Cloud came from the clouds and went away in commanding fashion to win Weir’s 9th race of the carnival. The winner: Thunder Cloud [Brad Rawiller – Darren Weir].
Race 5: The Standard Handicap [1100 metres]: We had four Weir horses in this race, in a field of 15 starters again. They were Labuan Star [Brad Rawiller] [3rd]; Painte [John Allen]; He’s A Moral [Dean Yendall]; and Artie Dee Two [Damian Lane]. My odds on each horse were $11.00 & $3.50; $10.00 & $3.20; $17.00 & $5.00; and, $10.00 & $3.20. No favourites in that bunch, although Labuan Star had a few supporters. At the loading of this race, the rain [as predicted] began to hit Warrnambool. Of the Weir horses, it would only be Labuan Star that produced a result, running into third place The winner [that man again] – InnKeeper [Ms Linda Meech – Symon Wilde]
Race 6: Evergreen Turf Neville Wilson Series [1700 metres]: two Weir horses – Approved Anger [John Allen] and Furrion [Brad Rawiller] [First] – this second horse would start as favourite in the race, which as it began, the weather deteriorated and the rain proper began to affect the afternoon, and the track. My odds – $7.50 & $2.15, and $1.60 & $1.10. This was Furrion’s 3rd race, for two wins so far, and today would not alter that trend – a convincing win to the favourite, while the horse which won the race over the past two years, Like The Clappers, battled on for a close second. The winner: Furrion [Brad Rawiller – Darren Weir] – the horse described as a very exciting prospect in the months and years ahead – ‘a star is born at the ‘Bool’ said the race caller as Furrion crossed the line.
Race 7; [the big one]: Waterfront By Lyndoch Living Grand Annual Steeplechase [5,500 metres], a jumps race worth $350,000, with 11 starters. For Weir, he was giving Now and Zen [John Allen] [Fell] another opportunity [after’s Tuesday’s ‘mistake’], with my starting odds at $6.00 & $2.25. At this point, Weir has found 10 winners since Tuesday, and he would dearly love for this one to surprise the tipsters. A horse, proven in the wet [which was happening to a minor extent at this stage of the afternoon], and a starter in 13 jumps races for 5 wins and 5 2nd placings. Weir had confirmed overnight that Now And Zen would contest the Grand Annual Steeplchase today, after losing his rider in the Brierly Steeplechase on Tuesday. Weir said ‘I would have liked to have seen him finish the Brierly so we’re guessing a bit. He went to the beach in the morning and he’s fine’. However, he was up against a strong and proven field of competitors……………It would be a .disappointing outcome for Now And Zen – halfway through the race, fell [not noticed by the race caller], got up and ran on, but later taken away for treatment to an injured leg. No early news on the luckless John Allen. Meanwhile, the race itself, after 5,500 metres, saw another thrilling finish to the line between the two horses that finished first and second in Tuesday’s Brierly Steeple – in fact, a repeat of that finish – the winner was the local horse Gold Medals, ridden by Shayne Jackson, trained by Symon Wilde. The defending champion, favourite, and top weight, Zen Em came in second, just by a short head. Amazing finish, and what a day for trainer, Symon Wilde. Winner: Gold Medals [with the Steeple double] [Clayton Douglas – Symon Wilde].
Race 8: Mercedes Benz Handicap [1400 metres]: Two Weir horses – Kenjorwood [Brad Rawiller] [4th], and Refulgent [Dean Yendall], my odds were $20.00 n& $5.50, and $34.00 & $9.00. although Kenjorwood would actually start the race at a much shorter price. In fact, the horse led for a large part of the race, but tired in the closing stages and was overrun by the favourite, in fact missing out on a place altogether. Not a very successful day [despite two winners] for Weir, or for supporters of his horses, viz., the writer!!!
Race 9: Sungold Milk Warrnambool Cup [2.50 metres] – a final field of 13 starters. Darren Weir had four Cup starters, and he noted, prior to the race, with respect to each:………Master Of Arts Brad Rawiller] [5th] “I’m really happy with him. If it’s wet he’ll come right into contention but if the track’s not I might even take him out.” Gallic Chieftan [Johnj Allen] [First] “He’s fit and tough and racing in great fashion.” Kiwia [Damian Lane]) [6th] “This is the race he’s been set for but my worry is that he didn’t have a hard hit-out last start. He worked well at Ballarat on Saturday.” Yogi [Craig Williams] [2nd] “He’s going well but he’s only had two runs in and he might be one run short.” My odds in order of named horses were $13.00 & $4.00; $9.50 & $3.10; $2.90 & $1.45; and $6.00 & $2.25. Weir felt that the fittest of his four runners would be Gallic Chieftan, and that prove4d the case, with the horse surviving a late challenge, just, from stablemate, Yogi. In the final analysis of the Cup, the four Weir horses finished within the top six positions of the 13 runners.
Race 10: Scania Australia Handicap [1300 metres]: a field of 16, including two Weir horses – Fifty Stars [Brad Rawiller] [First], and Smart Talk [Harry Coffey] [8th]. A third entry, Atone was scratched overnight. My odds were $1.95 & $1.20, and $23.00 & $6.00. This race would end the Warrnambool Racing Carnival with yet another triumph for the Weir complex, with Fifty Stars dominating the finish and going on to a strong win. This win would give Weir four winners on each of the three days of the Warrnambool carnival, a total of 12, not quite up to last year’s year’s total, but still, the second highest total wins in the carnival’s history.
I will again use Michael Manly’s summary [part] to conclude the event. “Darren Weir didn’t match his heights of last year but still dominated the Warrnambool carnival with 12 winners, including a fifth consecutive cup…………….Before the Cup, Weir said Gallic Chieftan was the fittest and toughest of his four runners. That made the difference. Yogi was one run behind in his preparation and it told. Gallic Chieftan was the right horse on the right day. The toughness in a great race told late. Weir described John Allen’s ride on Gallic Chieftan as ‘a great one’. Allen said he’d had a frustrating carnival before the cup win, being successful only on Tradesman on Tuesday. Earlier, .his mount Now And Zen fell in the Grand Annual Steeplechase. And he was dumped from the same horse at the first fence in Tuesday’s Brierly Steeplechase…………………..Weir’s previous Warrnambool Cup winners were Askar [2014], Tall Ship [2015], Master Of Arts [2016] and High Church [2017]. Despite his 12 winners this week, a $1 bet on all of Weir’s 51 runners would have produced a loss, of $9.70.” The writer can vouch for that!!!
It would be remiss of me not to mention the other trainer of the day [especially the final day] – and that was Warrnambool boy, Symon Wilde – who not only trained the winner of the Grand Annual Steeplechase [with the same horse, Gold Medals, winning the Brierly Steeple on Tuesday], but picked up 3 other winners on Thursday. Not surprisingly, the Warrnambool crowd erupted as Gold Medals came back to scale after the race, which was won by the smallest of margins over the favourite [as on Tuesday], Zed Em – the race caller’s description was as the desperate as the crowd, and while he felt Gold Medals had won, his plea over the speaker system was ‘please don’t tear down the stand if I’m wrong’!!! He wasn’t!! Speaking afterwards, Wilde said – “It’s a dream come true, as I’ve now won the main Warrnambool races, the Brierly, the Wangoom, the Cup and now the Grand Annual. I’ve now got the full deck of cards. It’s a race I’ve watched all my life and wanted to win for years. Dad trained and then I joined him. This is so more than a Group 1 to me. He’s not a Group 1 horse, but he’s a horse who has won $1 million”.
Incidentally, Weir’s horse in the Grand National Steeplechase, which fell coming down the ‘hill’ for the first time during the race, was later treated by vets, and found to be lame in the near hind leg. I was so thankful that there was not a more serious outcome for the horse. Over recent years, Victoria which is now one of only two states to retain jumps racing, has received much adverse criticism from anti-jump racing protestors, and in early years there was some genuine concern about the seemingly high number of horse deaths that occurred due to falls, etc, Thankfully this year, the only major mishaps occurred to the same horse twice – Weir’s Now And Zen. As a spectator, I love to watch the jumps races, but in all honesty, do so with my ‘heart in my mouth’ willing all horses and jockeys to get around the courses safely, irrespective of where thy finish in a race.
Finally, on that note, from Darren Weir Racing @DKWeirracing – “Now And Zen is back at the Ballarat stables for ongoing care. Rest assured he is much loved by his owner and everyone at Darren Weir Racing so he will be well looked after”.
[Bill Kirk, 4th May, 2018]
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