By Michael Lynch
The Darren Weir juggernaut continues to roll on and set new benchmarks, with the champion trainer on Saturday saddling a Sandown hat-trick, which meant he has equalled Lee Freedman's record of 115 metropolitan winners in a season.
But he also fell foul of the stewards after his staff made a catastrophic error that could have plunged Australian betting markets into turmoil after they saddled up two of their runners in the same race with the wrong saddlecloths.
John Allen drives two-year-old Cliff's Edge to victory in the opening race on the card at Sandown on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Acting chief steward Rob Montgomery described the last race blunder – in which the Weir yard saddled No.8 Noella's Choice with the saddlecoth of her stable companion No.12 Stylish Miss – as a "don't come Monday" failure.
Fortunately it was picked up by racing officials in the mounting yard and the two mares eventually ran with their correct numbers, but it was a close run thing which could have brought chaos to punters nationwide had they competed with the wrong numbers and finished in the placings.
Both were eventually unplaced, but Montgomery and his team were distinctly unimpressed, handing the trainer a $3000 fine to sour what had been up to that point a memorable afternoon.
Freedman set his record in 2005-06 and with two months of the season left it remains to be seen what sort of a new benchmark Weir will set.
For a trainer who has shown his versatility with all sort of horses, it was appropriate that he brought up his treble with a two-year-old over a sprint trip, a hurdler and an imported galloper who is looking to show his true class when he steps up beyond middle-distance tests.
Jockey John Allen, who has become such an integral part of the Weir squad, partnered two of the trio and he too showed his versatility, scoring in the opening contest of the day aboard the two-year-old Cliff's Edge.
He followed up an hour or so later in the day's feature event, the Australian Hurdle, once again dictating from the front on the former English-trained Renew.
It was then the turn of another Allen associated with the stable – this time teenage claimer Ben (no relation) – to bring up the Weir treble aboard the exciting import Plein Ciel.
The son of Mamool has a tricky temperament, and the champion trainer believes a trip interstate could help him grow up and mature considerably.
"He's an exciting prospect. He paraded better than he did at Warrnambool. He was way too above himself there. Today he was manageable, but there's still a bit to come.
"I am thinking of keeping him at 2000 metres at this stage. He will go to Queensland, maybe for the Ipswich or Caloundra Cup.
"If you take horses like that away it just makes them grow up," Weir said.
David Hayes has plenty of success when he links up with Damien Oliver at Sandown's Lakeside track, and the duo combined again to land the final event of the day with the well-backed Cannyescent, who Hayes hopes might improve enough to become a spring prospect. It was the sixth winner from six rides at the venue that Oliver has had for Hayes this season.
Earlier in the day Robert Smerdon and apprentice Ben Thompson got on the scoresheet when Grand Dreamer saluted in the 2400-metre handicap.
Levi Kavanagh enjoyed the second metropolitan training success of his short career – and his first Saturday triumph – when Soho Ruby and Steve Baster took out the Le Pine Funerals fillies handicap, while Widgee Turf – named after the Queensland-based owner's local village – gave Ben Allen a double when he landed the Samson Handicap for trainer Patrick Payne.
Andrew Mallyon added to his recent run of success for Godolphin when he won the Elaren Security Handicap aboard the filly Rillito.