Queensland Police have revealed the ingredients in the poison found in the damaged turf at the Gold Coas

Queensland Police have revealed the poison found in a damaged section of the Gold Coast track which derailed the start of the Magic Millions Carnival.

Gold Coast Turf Club track repairs for Magic Millions 2025. Picture: Supplied

QUEENSLAND Police have confirmed that ingredients found in a commonly used weed spray was behind a section of the Gold Coast track being damaged ahead of the lucrative Magic Millions Carnival.

A damaged section of the track resulted in the January 4 meeting being transferred to the Sunshine Coast before a team of experts successfully repaired the area only for heavy rain to put paid to last Saturday’s major meeting after just three races.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Queensland Police Superintendent Brett Jackson said Police were keeping an “open mind” as to determining whether the damage was in fact deliberate.

“We can confirm three spray nozzles were found (in the area) but there will need to be further testing to determine whether they were used in the offence,” he said.

Asked whether there is a correlation between the machinery used by the Gold Coast Turf Club and the size of the damaged area, Superintendent Jackson said there were some consistencies.

The grey skies hovering over the Gold Coast track on Saturday

“There is a correlation in the fact that the dimensions of the turf that was affected is 16 metres wide and a spray boom (used at the Turf Club) is around eight metres,” he said.

“So there is somewhat of a correlation, yes.”

Glyphosate, a standard herbicide used in basic weed killers, was found in the damaged turf with further tests to determine whether it is from a product used at the Turf Club or brought in from elsewhere.

Superintendent Jackson added that “there are still no suspects” and the absence of CCTV footage in the vicinity of the damaged area had made finding answers difficult.

READ: Gold Coast track gets tick for Millions day: ‘We could have raced today’

“Whether it can be some fault in equipment, whether it could be a staff issue … if it was someone trying to damage the track, that’s all part of the investigation,” he added.

In a statement last week, Gold Coast Turf Club officials were steadfast in their position that the act was vandalism.

“If it does turn out to be a deliberate act, which is looking increasingly likely, we’re very disappointed with a narrative that has come out suggesting it was some sort of mistake on our part,” GCTC chairman Brett Cook said.

The drama-charged fortnight on the Gold Coast soared to new levels when last Saturday’s Magic Millions card was called off after just three races due to incessant rain.

The meeting is now slated to be staged under lights on Friday night with the Gold Coast Turf Club announcing that entry will be free.

Originally published as Queensland Police have revealed the ingredients in the poison found in the damaged turf at the Gold Coas