Weir’s Sir John Monash Stakes runners could add to his record

Although it is uncertain if Gun Case’s Moonee Valley win on Wednesday allowed Darren Weir to broke or equal John Hawkes’ record for the most winners trained in a season, the Ballarat based trainer is certain to establish his own record before the end of the season on July 31.

Thermal Current, above, is one of three runners trainer Darren Weir will saddle up in the Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Thermal Current, above, is one of three runners trainer Darren Weir will saddle up in the Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Weir has had a phenomenal year with Gun Case bringing up his 335th winner for the 2015 – 2016 racing season and with several more runners leading up the weekend, the Melbourne Cup winning trainer is certain to find his way to the winner’s stall on many more occasions.

Weir will saddle up two runners at Cranbourne today, seven on the Geelong Synthetic on Friday and twelve at Caulfield on Saturday, including three in the main race on the Caulfield nine race program, the Group 3 $150,000 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m).

Records of Hawkes’ record breaking year show that the master trainer had 334 or 335 winners in 2001 – 2002 season, but by the weekend Weir will have set a new record, but the iconic trainer is just glad all the fuss is out of the way and he can just keep doing what he likes best, training race horses.

“Hopefully, people will stop mentioning it now. I’m glad it’s done,” Weir told G1X.

But Weir does admits that this last season has been an extra ordinary experience which also saw him win the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington with $101 outsider Prince Of Penzance.

“It’s hard to top this one. The Melbourne Cup was a highlight, six Group 1s, 100 metro winners and this tops it off,” Weir said.

Weir currently leads the Melbourne trainer’s premiership with 102 winners and could add to that tally at Caulfield on Saturday.

Among his twelve runners are Thermal Current, Mirage and Olivier who will line up in the weight for age Sir John Monash Stakes.

Last start winner Thermal Current appears to be Weir’s best chance in the feature sprint on the card and is quoted as a $13 chance with Ladbrokes.com.au.

Thermal Current scored his second win for the Weir stable when the former Peter Moody trained five year old won the $100,000 Golden Topaz (1200m) at Swan Hill on June 10.

Dean Yendall rode the Exceed And Excel gelding at Sawn Hill and takes the ride again on Saturday.

Olivier with Harry Coffey in the saddle is marked at $21 and is coming off a last start second to Daytona Grey in a 1050m BenchMark 90 Handicap at Morphettville on June 25.

Mirage is the outsider of the three Weir runners at $41 and will have to improve on his most recent fifteenth in an 1100m Handicap at Flemington on June 25 to be a threat.

Apprentice Jordan Childs takes over from Brad Rawiller on Mirage who will jump from barrier eight in the sixteen horse field.

The Lindsay Park trained Fast ‘N’ Rocking will carry the number one saddlecloth and also heads the market order at $4.50 just ahead of Wild Rain and Girl Guide at $6.50 each.

Sir John Monash Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.50 Fast ‘N’ Rocking, $6.50 Wild Rain, Girl Guide, $7 Lord Of The Sky, $8.50 Atmospherical, $13 Thermal Current, $14 Kayjay’s Joy, $19 Runsati, $20 Trevinder, $21 Olivier, $26 The Cynic, $31 Le Bonsir, Weinholt, $34 General Truce, $41 Mirage, Tudor.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.