Star Sydney coach Chris Waller has known as on disgraced horseman Darren Weir to “come out and clarify” the jigger scandal that noticed him disqualified for 4 years.
Whereas a lot of the trade has shunned the previous main coach, Waller – together with the likes of Lloyd Williams and Ciaron Maher – is certainly one of a choose few trade titans presently sending Weir horses to pre-train at his Trevenson Park property in Central Victoria.
“It’s such a tragic state of affairs,” Waller stated, reflecting on the circumstances surrounding Weir’s disqualification.
“He had an habit to profitable races, however he didn’t have to do what he did – and someday he wants to return out and clarify that, which I hope he does.
“Look, there in all probability isn’t anyone in racing who doesn’t know issues like that had been happening and had been happening.
“He took it too far, he was obsessive about profitable and with the strain of outcomes.
“I simply hope when he talks that he’s understood. Individuals who don’t actually perceive racing locally will in all probability by no means perceive, however then in case you come out and help him, it’s like a black mark.
“One factor is that you may see by the people who find themselves supporting him, the respect he has within the trade and what a genius he was, positive – it was an enormous mistake.”
Earlier than Weir’s suspension, he and Waller had been shut rivals for the nationwide coach’s premiership. The final time they had been in competitors, in 2017-18, Weir received with 489.5 winners, with Waller second on 337.5 however main the metropolitan tally 252.5 to 207.
Weir by no means accomplished the next season however nonetheless had 265 winners to February when his disqualification began. Waller – who rated Weir “my largest menace as a horse coach” – completed the season on the finish of July with 339 in complete.
“He’s a genius horseman. I had the utmost respect for him and thought ‘how good is that this man,’ and I wished to know what made him work,” Waller stated.
Waller has as much as eight to 10 horses – together with 2023 Melbourne Cup runner-up Soulcombe – in pre-training with Weir and he was glowing in his description of how his horses got here again to him.
“It’s fairly phenomenal what he does. I’ll preserve sending horses there (to Weir at Trevenson), I want I might do extra, he’s a genius.”
Waller’s help has prolonged to Weir’s household, together with his eldest daughter Taige – who Waller anointed as “the following Annabel Neasham or Gai Waterhouse” – spending about six months working in Waller’s Melbourne secure.
“Look there’ll all the time be haters, however an enormous a part of why I’m forgiving is his two stunning daughters (Taige and Bonnie) – They’ve needed to cope with this as properly,” Waller stated.
“Taige might have come right here and run a secure residing off her title, however she didn’t. She simply got here and labored.
“She’s a stunning particular person, a future star, each a lot within the mould of an Annabel Neasham or Gai, she shall be a superb coach when she will get her licence.”
Australian Bloodstock is without doubt one of the trade’s most outstanding syndicators, with Melbourne Cup victories by Protectionist (2014) and Gold Journey (2022).
And whereas in addition they raced Pink Cardinal – one of many horses central to the “jigger case” – that didn’t cease Australian Bloodstock turning into one of many first organisations to help Weir’s pre-training endeavours at Trevenson Park.
“Look there are clearly issues which have been completed that I wouldn’t agree with and I don’t know the complete circumstances, however I’m not going to take a seat in judgment like others who wish to grasp him (Weir) out for all times,” Australian Bloodstock chief Jamie Lovett stated.
“He’s certainly one of Australia’s biggest horseman, true and real horseman at that, we is perhaps an enormous trade, however we don’t have many like him, and possibly none higher.
“He’s been misplaced to our trade lengthy sufficient, he’s served his penalty and extra, so to have him accessible to organize our horse is a no brainer,” Lovett stated.
Initially revealed as EXCLUSIVE: Chris Waller believes disqualified coach Darren Weir ‘took it too far, had an habit to profitable races’
