1000 litres of ‘oily sludge’ dumped on Flemington before 2022 Melbourne Cup

An activist has been filmed unloading 1000 litres of “oily sludge” on Flemington Racecourse in the hours before the 2022 Melbourne Cup

An activist has been filmed dumping 1000 litres of “oily sludge” onto the track at Flemington Racecourse in the hours leading into the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

The Victorian branch of the global activism group Extinction Rebellion posted the footage earlier today.

BREAKING: This morning XR was contacted by friends who had dumped 1000 liters of sludge onto Flemington Racecourse ahead of today’s Melbourne Cup activities. Footage of this and a press release are attached. @FlemingtonVRC@XRVicAus@BBCNews@[e-mail]/hzNv3tL4Le

— XRVicAus (@XRVicAus) November 1, 2022

“This morning, XR was contacted by friends who had dumped 1000 litres of sludge onto Flemington Racecourse ahead of today’s Melbourne Cup activities,” the Group said on social media.

A protester has been filmed putting ‘sludge’ onto Flemington racecourse in the hours before the 2022 Melbourne Cup

Animal activists sabotage Melb Cup

“We fully endorse the message of this person.

“The privileged in our society are on notice that as crises deepen and we do not see justice for communities, individuals and animals, ordinary people will be [driven] more and more to undertake these sorts of desperate actions.”

The person claims over 1000 litres was spilt.

Police confirmed detectives were investigating the incident.

“Melbourne Criminal Investigation Unit detectives are investigating after unknown offenders have broken into a racing facility in Flemington and poured an unknown substance over a portion of the track about 6am this morning,” a spokesperson said.

A statement from the person filmed unloading the sludge was released online by Extinction Rebellion.

Animal activists sabotage Melb Cup

The alleged culprit, who claimed to be a “problem gambler”, criticised the flood wall protecting Flemington and said the race that stops the nation was a “superspreader event for the virus of gambling addiction”.

“The racing industry callously disregards the wellbeing of Animals and the community, both local in the floods, and those who have fallen victim to gambling,” they wrote.

Racing Victoria Stewards have since inspected the area and have deemed it safe after some remedial work. Cup Schedule remains unchanged despite the dumping.

“The track has been deemed safe for racing by RV Stewards with no impact on the conduct of today’s meeting,” RV said.

Reaction to ‘problem gambler’s’ stunt

The response has been mixed online with plenty for and against the protester’s message.

“Probably should call the whole horse racing off thing off, go home and watch a movie like the rest of us,” one person wrote.

“Clearly this … protester does not appreciate the irony of: a) pouring oil on the track; and b) engaging in an act that could potentially seriously harm horses and riders,” another responded.

Others were more blunt with their reaction

“Worried about the animal cruelty but then makes conditions more dangerous. What a f***wit,” wrote one frustrated man.

“So dangerous to horses and (puts) jockeys’ lives at risk,” added another.

“He’s not a problem gambler, he’s a problem human,” wrote a third.

Racegoers to contend with wet, windy day

Those heading to Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse may want to swap out their high heels and dress shoes for some sturdy gumboots, with punters already fighting against wet and windy conditions.

One weather service has said it could be at least as “miserable” as the coldest recent Cup.

The day will start off a chilly 7C and the mercury won’t pass 13C.

Rain has already begun to fall across the racecourse, after showers were forecast to start late morning on Tuesday.

Punters ought to dress for wet and windy day at Flemington today Photo: Quinn Rooney

A few smart punters have been spotted with umbrellas, but others have been forced to think of more creative ways to stay dry.

The Newitt family was pictured huddled together beneath a giant tarp, while others attempted to hide under plastic rain ponchos.

In some more bad news, there is even the chance of thunderstorms as the mercury fails to even reach the mid-teens in Melbourne.

The polar chill could also lead to the “remarkable” occurrence of snow across a swath of Victoria and New South Wales – uncommon in November.

It could be the coldest Melbourne Cup Day in almost 30 years. Photo: Quinn Rooney

“A few things are contributing to this wild weather,” said Sky News Weather meteorologist Alison Osborne, who described the conditions as an “icy blast”.

“First, cold air straight from the Antarctic is moving up and over the southeast.

“At the same time the jet stream, the strong belt of westerly winds that whips around the world in both hemispheres, is exceptionally strong. And as it moves further east, it will help to bring powerful thunderstorms into Monday and then Tuesday as well.

“At the same time the mercury is set to drop with showers, storms and small hail just in time for Cup Day,” Ms Osborne said, adding that it could be the coldest Melbourne Cup since 1995.

Originally published as 1000 litres of ‘oily sludge’ dumped on Flemington before 2022 Melbourne Cup