The Lindsey Smith Warrnambool experiment

One day last week, Lindsey Smith met Jarrod McLean for a coffee at a popular café in Warrnambool.

Given recent events, and constant mumblings about Smith and his alleged on-going relationship with McLean and Darren Weir, this did not seem a smart move by Smith.

McLean has been stood down from training over animal cruelty charges that will be heard in the New Year. He also faces a life ban after performance-enhancing EPO was found at his home.

Weir has been disqualified for four years for animal cruelty relating to ‘jiggers” and will appear in court in February where he faces criminal charges.

Since Smith arrived in Victoria some months ago, renting the stables Weir built on-course at Warrnambool – and absorbing many of the Weir staff – many have wondered if there was an on-going relationship between Smith, Weir and McLean.

Smith is bothered by the worst of the whispers but wife Rebecca had been far more concerned, fearing the relentless sniping would prompt her husband to return to Perth.

Smith says it’s well known he and Weir had a strong association prior to Weir’s disqualification but says the “best mates” tag was inaccurate.

As for McLean, he says he feels sympathy not for what McLean has done but his state of mind. He was happy to meet McLean, regardless of who saw them or what they thought.

“He’s struggling and I’m not the sort of person to abandon someone no matter what they’ve done or been accused of,” he said.

“His mum contacted me and I was happy to sit down and have a talk with Jarrod.”

Smith knows despair.

He has struggled with depression and is thankful Rebecca works in mental health.

Smith had a difficult childhood. His father Roland, a painter, was a drunk. An older sibling, Geoffrey died from a heroin overdose.

In all, Roland and Rita Smith had seven kids. Three were born in England and three here after they joined many Europeans on Australia-bound ships in the late 1950s.

Lindsey was born somewhere in the Pacific. In Williamstown, he took his first steps.

Geoffrey was 33 when he overdosed, Lindsey 26.

“I found him in the bath,” he said. “It was an awful thing. It encourages me to look after people when they need it, like Jarrod. I’ve had my taste of it.”

Smith has three school-age kids – Mia, Darby and Harrison – who will relocate from Perth to Warrnambool in March when Smith turns his focus more to his Warrnambool stable and less with Perth.

Geoffrey is buried in Perth.

“I take the kids there as often as I can, to his grave,” Smith said.

“I think it’s important. Reminds them of how hard life can be, how easy it is to muck it up.”

By Matt Stewart RSN927 Racing Editor