THE Ballarat trainer and jockey combination of Darren Weir and John Allen had a day out on Sunday.
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They combined in landing four wins at Casterton.
Weir and Allen saluted in the opening three races - the first two being hurdles – and then the last on the seven-event card.
While fours wins in a day is nothing new for the prolific-winning Weir, it is a first for Allen, who continues to make a mark over the jumps and on the flat.
Tequila At Midnight ($5) began the sequence in a maiden hurdle, 3300m, and then the promising Archibar ($2.30 favourite) had his third success in five jump starts in a benchmark120 hurdle, 3300m.
Tequila At Midnight began his racing career in New Zealand and arrived with Weir with jumping experience
The 6yo went to Casterton with four flat runs for the stable and with fitness on his side made short work of his rivals in scoring by six lengths.
Jonjonjonny ($4.60) made it back-to-back wins in his third race starts a benchmark64 handicap, 1100m, and 3yo Matagami ($2.90 favourite) rounded out the day in a 0-58 handicap, 1200m.
Weir made it five wins for the day with Twin Tea Bags ($3.80 favourite) after jockey Brad Rawiller successfully protested again first past the post Abichi.
Weir also won with Doctor Care ($2.05 favourite) in a benchmark82 in Adelaide on Saturday and Manna Trust (t$3.60 favourite) – again with Allen in the saddle – in a 0-58 handicap, 1620m, and Hayite ($9.50) in a benchmark64 handicap, 1350m, at Donald on Saturday to take his Australia-wide tally for the season to 264.5 and total stable earnings of $10m.
Of these, 249 have been in Victoria.
Allen is also closing in a on the half century on regional tracks, with 44 wins to be placed 17th in the state country jockeys’ premiership.
ROBERT Smerdon has ticked over 100 wins for the season.
With an expanded team this season as Aquanita Racing's principal trainer, Smerdon's Caulfield/Ballarat stable has produced 108 wins.
This is the first time since 2011-12 that Smnerdon has topped the century, when he had 115 winners.
He also had 100 wins in and 2007-08 and 2008-09.
Smerdon had 84 wins last season.
He is fourth in the Melbourne metropolitan trainers' premiership with 47 wins. Weir leads on 72, with Peter Moody still within striking distance on 66 and David Hayes-Tom Dabernig on 58.
Smerdon is also fourth on the state table with 105.
He joins Weir, Moody and Hayes-Dabernig to have passed the 100 mark.