DARREN Weir started the new metropolitan racing season in a blaze of glory at Flemington on Saturday – training a career-best five winners at one racetrack.
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The day belonged to Weir, with his quintet including the main race, the group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap, 1200m, with Sooboog ($5.50)
The Ballarat trainer also saluted with Irish-bred Camdus ($9) in the VRC Member Keli Sponner Handicap, 1200m, Killarney Kid ($3.10 favourite) in the Wendy Johnson Handicap, 2000m; Royal Rapture ($2.80 favourite) in the Allen Aylett Handicap, 1700m; and Ulmann ($3.20 favourite) in the Daniel Maher Handicap, 1400m.
"Everything has fallen into place today," Weir said.
"Normally something goes wrong, but today the horses got here in good order and the ones we thought had chances were given good rides."
Weir said he had might have trained more winners in a day, but five at the one venue was a personal best.
"This is the most famous track, so to do it here is really special," the Melbourne Cup winning trainer said.
Weir said the win of Sooboog, a former Hawkes Racing galloper which joined his team in April, was an important one for the stable.
He said a lot of hard work at his Warrnambool and Ballarat stable had gone into turning around the fortunes of Sooboog, a high-priced yearling.
"He did a lot at the beach at the start but then we swapped him back to Ballarat in the last 10 days," Weir said.
"He's done a bit of schooling, a few strong grass gallops and it's switched him on.We'll just swap him from stable to stable to keep him interested."
As a high-priced yearling, Weir said it was important to get the group 3 victory under Sooboog's belt.
