Man arrested over blaze in Melbourne racecourse, sabotage of Magic Millions track likely
A Melbourne man has been arrested for allegedly torching Caulfield’s heritage-listed grandstand, as Queensland police investigate sabotage threatening the $14.5m Magic Millions race.
A 51-year-old Melbourne man has been arrested after a Caulfield Racecourse grandstand was set alight on Tuesday morning, causing millions of dollars of damage.
Fire crews were dispatched soon after 6am to the fire that broke out in the Norman Robinson Stand, a heritage-listed structure built in 1960.
The man was arrested in Mordialloc, in Melbourne’s southeast, about 1.45pm, and police are expected to press charges. The man’s last known address was in Wangaratta, northeast Victoria.
Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit detectives said the man was arrested at a railway station after reports of several other grass fires in the area.
The grandstand blaze caused caused significant damage to the 1876 Bar and the Medallion bar.
A man was reportedly captured on CCTV footage dragging a wheelie bin to an upper level of the stand, adding extra paper and then setting it alight. Sources who viewed the footage say the man pushed the bin into an area of the stand with timber decking, with the fire spreading quickly.
No injuries were reported.
Melbourne Racing Club chairman John Kanga said a “state of the art” sprinkler system had prevented the fire from destroying the historic stand.
“The grandstand will not be demolished, it will be rebuilt,” he said.
“I’m not a builder but from what I’ve seen this morning the damage will be in the millions.”
Mr Kanga said Wednesday’s Caulfield Heath Twilight event would go ahead, but would likely be held at a different location.
The incident comes as Queensland Police investigate damage to the Gold Coast Turf Club racetrack that has put Saturday’s $14.5m Magic Millions race day at risk. Sabotage was likely, officials say, after items including weed spray nozzles were found at the Gold Coast racecourse.
A large section of turf near the finish line is believed to have been poisoned, leading to last Saturday’s inaugural Magic Millions Gold raceday – a lead-in to the auction and flagship race meet this weekend – being moved to the Sunshine Coast.
Horses will gallop over the track on Thursday morning to test new turf. If the track is unusable, the races will move to Eagle Farm racetrack in Brisbane, while race day marquees and hospitality packages will be at the Gold Coast.
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