A snapshot of trainer Darren Weir’s career

Trainer Darren Weir and jockey Michelle Payne won the Melbourne Cup with Prince of Penzance in 2015.

Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Darren Weir has been charged with animal cruelty, conspiracy and weapons offences.

* Born in Berriwillock in the Mallee district of country Victoria.

* Left school at 15 to work as a horse-breaker, track rider and farrier.

* Took out an owner-trainer licence in 1995, gained a full licence in 1997 and moved his base to Ballarat in 2001. By 2019, had training bases at Ballarat, Warrnambool and Baringhup.

* Weir has trained more than 3500 winners.

* In 2005, he won his first Victorian country trainers’ premiership.

* He later became the first country-based trainer to win the Melbourne trainers’ premiership in 2013-14, the first of five successive titles.

* Won the 2015 Melbourne Cup with 100-1 longshot Prince Of Penzance, ridden by Michelle Payne.

* In 2016-17 Weir became the first to train more than 400 Australian winners, winning 449 races before going on to 491 victories in 2017-18 and 265 winners in 2018-19.

* In January 2019, Victorian racing stewards and police raided his stables at Ballarat and Warrnambool and allegedly found illegal electrical devices known as jiggers.

* In February, racing authorities accused him of conduct prejudicial to the image, interests or welfare of racing, possessing three electrical devices capable of affecting the performance of a horse and failing to answer questions at an inquiry.

* The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board disqualified him for four years.