Yarra Glen Racecourse groundsmen (from left) Mark Glen and Danny Wilcox brushed up on bird-keeping tips last week after the racetrack’s turf was attacked by more than 1000 birds feasting on the larvae of beetles.By Dion Teasdale
YARRA Valley Racing has decided to transfer its next race meeting to Pakenham after the Yarra Glen racecourse was attacked by birds last week.
An estimated 1100 birds descended on the racecourse on Monday, 27 February and tore up parts of the race track in a feeding frenzy.
Yarra Valley Racing chief executive Brett Shambrook said about 300 ibises and 800 crows came to feast on the larvae of the red-headed cockchafer beetle.
“The heavy rains we had on 25 and 26 February brought the larvae, which look like witchety grubs, to the surface of the race track,” he said.
“The birds came in and tore up the turf like they were rotary hoes.”
Mr Shambrook said the birds focused their attack along the main straight of the racetrack and near the winning post, and he likened the attack to a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds.
“In the 15 years I’ve worked in the racing industry, I’ve never encountered anything quite like this,” he said.
“When I came out here last Monday morning I couldn’t believe the damage the birds had done.
“It was like the birds had gotten together and told each other where the feast would be.”
Mr Shambrook said while the damage was easily patched up and new turf had been sown, the decision was made to relocate the race meeting scheduled for this Saturday, 11 March, to Pakenham Racecourse.
“We could have pushed ahead with the meeting on 11 March, but we thought it was in the best interests of the staging of the Yarra Glen Cup on 26 March to move this meeting,” he said.
Mr Shambrook said grounds staff had sprayed the larvae of the red-headed cock hafer beetle and had used gas guns to keep the birds off the track.
“We feel confident that this is just a bit of a hiccough and that the track will be spot on for the racing of the Yarra Glen Cup at the end of the month,” he said.
Mr Shambrook said the attack by the birds had made him wonder if a curse had been put on the racecourse.
“After the Yarra Glen Cup was washed out last year and then this, I think we need to get someone out here to take the curse off the track,” he joked.
