Four of the numerous high-profile horses who have been transferred from now-disqualified trainer Darren Weir are set to line up in Australia’s first Group One race of the year at Caulfield.
Weir was on Wednesday disqualified by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board for four years after not contesting Victorian stewards’ charges of possessing three electric or electronic apparatus.
A host of former Weir-trained horses have been transferred to other trainers in recent days.
They include Brave Smash, Land Of Plenty, Fifty Stars and Whispering Brook who are among the leading chances in Saturday’s C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Brave Smash is now trained by Newcastle horseman Kris Lees while Land Of Plenty lines up for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable in Saturday’s weight-for-age feature.
Fifty Stars has been sent to the Lindsay Park operation which also has two other runners in Saturday’s field of 16, while in-form former mare Whispering Brook is now back with her original trainer, Perth-based Simon Miller.
The capacity 16-horse field for the Orr includes seven individual Group One winners.
Land Of Plenty was second favourite at $5.50 in an early Orr Stakes market on Wednesday with Whispering Brook ($6.50) and Brave Smash ($9) are also high up in betting, while promising Fifty Stars was at $15.
The early $3.30 Orr Stakes favourite is the James Cummings-trained entire Kementari who is one of two Group One winners from the global Godolphin operation set to resume in Saturday’s 1400m race.
Kementari will be having his first start since a winless spring preparation last year which included a close second in the Group One Memsie Stakes over the same course and distance as the Orr.
“This is a beautiful target first up and it’s easy to imagine him being highly competitive,” Cummings said.
“We haven’t committed to an autumn target for him, but we might know more after Saturday.”
The 2018 Perth Cup winner Material Man, who is trained by Justin Warwick in Western Australia, arrived in Victoria on Wednesday to begin his eastern states campaign in the Orr.
EX-DARREN WEIR-TRAINED HORSES ENTERED FOR C F ORR STAKES DAY
GROUP ONE C F ORR STAKES
* Brave Smash – now trained by Kris Lees
* Land Of Plenty – Ciaron Maher and David Eustace
* Fifty Stars – David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig
* Whispering Brook – Simon Miller
GROUP TWO RUBITON STAKES
* Voodoo Lad – Ciaron Maher and David Eustace
* Nature Strip – Chris Waller
* Thermal Current – Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra
GROUP TWO AUTUMN STAKES
* Ringerdingding – Chris Waller
* Social Spin – Mick Price
* Declares War – Matt Cumani
* Hawkshot – David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig
GROUP TWO BLUE DIAMOND PRELUDE (fillies)
* Indiscretion – Phillip Stokes
* Amarula Queen – Russell and Scott Cameron
GROUP THREE BLUE DIAMOND PRELUDE (colts and geldings)
* Hulk – Chris Waller
GROUP THREE TS CARLYON CUP
* Night’s Watch – Ciaron Maher and David Eustace
GROUP THREE BELLMAINE STAKES
* Bellaria – Leon and Troy Corstens
1800M HANDICAP
* Yogi – Ciaron Maher and David Eustace
* Silentz – Phillip Stokes
* Age Of Fire – Ciaron Maher and David Eustace