Prosecutors have dropped conspiracy charges against former Warrnambool horse trainer Jarrod McLean and Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Darren Weir.
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The pair was due to stand trial during the week of the 2022 Melbourne Cup after pleading not guilty to a conspiracy charge.
Weir and McLean were accused of conspiring to cheat and defraud Racing Victoria officials over an illegal training regime they allegedly used on racehorses Red Cardinal, Yogi and Tosen Basil in the weeks before the 2018 Melbourne Cup.
It had been alleged the offending occurred between October 24 and November 17, 2018.
But on Friday (October 28) during a pre-trial hearing the Office of Public Prosecutions filed a notice of discontinuance in the Melbourne County Court.
A prosecutor said the matter had been resolved and the notice cleared the conspiracy charge on the indictment.
She said that left charges relating to alleged corrupt betting and animal cruelty, which were downgraded to the magistrates court.
Police previously alleged the men took part in conduct that tortured, abused, overworked and terrified the horses and caused them unreasonable pain and suffering.
Weir also faces a charge of possessing a firearm and McLean a charge of possessing a drug of dependence.
All matters were transferred to the Warrnambool Magistrates Court, where the two men are now due to appear on December 14.
Earlier this week the conspiracy charge was also dropped against McLean's former stable hand Tyson Kermond.
Judge Paul Lacava thanked all parties for coming to a resolution, which he said would ease an "ever-increasing backlog" and save a considerable amount of court time.
The Standard contacted barrister Ian Hill KC, representing Weir, but he declined to comment.
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