Racing Victoria reject McLean use of Weir's former Warrnambool stables

Racing Victoria officials have rejected trainer Jarrod McLean's application to take over the Warrnambool satellite stable of his banned former boss Darren Weir as police investigations continue into possession of a jigger.

After Weir was arrested in January and then banned from racing for four years, McLean – his former foreman at the Warrnambool satellite stable, but also a licensed trainer – applied to take over the 43-box facility.

McLean was given permission to continue training early last month after answering a show cause notice from Racing Victoria but will face the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board (RAD) in late May over four charges relating to the discovery of a jigger at Warrnambool.

After a Racing Victoria board meeting on Tuesday, an official statement cited the need to protect the sport's image while investigations from police continue.

"Acting in the interests and image of Victorian racing, the Board determined that Mr McLean’s application cannot be approved while serious charges laid by RV Stewards are pending hearing and determination by the RAD Board and while the current Victoria Police investigation remains ongoing," it read.

McLean has not answered a show cause notice issued by Racing NSW officials and has not trained a winner since November last year, when Trap For Fools won the group 1 Mackinnon Stakes.

On the day of the dramatic stable raids by Victoria Police's Sporting Intelligence Unit at Weir's Ballarat stables, the Warrnambool properties – leased by the trainer but where much of the horse training equipment including walking machines and tread mills was owned by Weir – were also searched.

McLean was incredibly successful in concert with Weir, helping prepare 22 of the record-breaking trainer's 36 group 1 wins from the Warrnambool base, but also has fallen foul with stewards, much of it relating to his partnership with the now-banned trainer and some in relation to the satellite stable.

The most recent ban for McLean stemmed from an incident in October last year when the trainer was charged with making false or misleading statements relating to the location of Trap For Fools before the Coogny Handicap at Caulfield on October 20.

A race-day inspection revealed Trap For Fools was at Weir's Warrnambool stable and not at McLean's own facility at Yangery.

Weir and McLean's history with stewards runs back to 2006 when a long-running investigation resulted in McLean being fined $7,500 on two charges of providing false evidence.

The inquiry centered around a stable inspection on the final day of the Warrnambool racing carnival during which tubing equipment and white powder used for drenching were found hidden under wooden shavings.

Article courtesy of Nine and The Brisbane Times