Police confirm track damage at Gold Coast Turf Club was deliberate

The mystery poisoning of the Gold Coast Turf Club racetrack, which threw the glamour Magic Millions carnival into jeopardy, has been confirmed by police as sabotage.

Track staff in the race to repair the damage ahead of the Magic Millions Carnival. Picture: Gold Coast Turf Club

The mystery poisoning of the Gold Coast Turf Club racetrack, which threw the glamour Magic Millions carnival into jeopardy, has been confirmed by police as sabotage.

It follows an independent report, obtained by The Courier-Mail, which found the poisoning had been carried out “with malice and intent” and was not a bungle by turf club staff.

A crucial section of the Bundall course near the home turn was poisoned just days before the glamour racing carnival began, forcing the relocation of the first Magic Millions twilight meeting on January 4 to the Sunshine Coast.

The vandalism also threatened last Saturday’s main $14.5m Magic Millions race day, with officials racing the clock to carry out urgent and costly repairs.

Work to get the track back into good condition. Picture: Supplied

Police launched an investigation and now say they are satisfied the incident was an act of “wilful damage” rather than a spraying accident involving ground staff.

“(It) was more than vandalism – it’s wilful damage of that turf which has then had a financial impact on the turf club itself and the Gold Coast community from a wider perspective,” Gold Coast police acting superintendent Jason Tuffley told the ABC on Monday.

“It could be a targeted attack against the racing industry itself or the Gold Coast Turf Club or the Magic Millions event itself. We have no idea who’s responsible for this.

“However, investigations are continuing and all (turf club) staff have been ruled out.”

Superintendent Tuffley confirmed the investigation would be put on ice after officers exhausted all available CCTV from the club and surrounding homes and businesses.

“Unless police receive any new or fresh information in relation to nominating a suspect, that’s correct [the investigation will enter hibernation],” he told reporters on Monday morning.

“It’s filed pending further evidence or information from the public.”

He said it was believed the glyphosate had been applied “four to five days prior” to the damage becoming apparent.

An independent report by leading agronomist Craig Easton found the poisoning was “an intentional act of prepared sabotage” with the herbicide glyphosate applied to a 385 sqm section of turf near the 500m mark with “malice and intent”.

Mr Easton found that the herbicide had been administered using a knapsack sprayer to cause maximum damage.

He identified a chemical mixing location and found plastic spray nozzles near the 500m mark, as well as “residual herbicide” footprints.

Mr Easton found the spray pattern used was “clearly not indicative of a professional 6m boom sprayer operator error”.

He said a rectangle of pigment spray applied to the damaged turf to reduce racehorse “spook” had led to “incorrect conclusions” by the public and authorities that turf club staff were responsible.