Pirates_Ghost

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian racing officials were reviewing safety procedures Thursday after five jockeys were hurt when a flock of seagulls flew into the path of their horses in a bizarre mid-race mishap.

A field of 11 horses was racing toward the finishing post in the final race at Sandown race track in Melbourne on Wednesday when a large flock of the birds suddenly rose up off the track and flew into the approaching horses.

Some of the horses reared up and others balked, throwing their jockeys.


Darren Gauci complained of a sore neck and was taken to hospital for scans after falling from his mount Diamond Hailey in the mid-track mayhem.

Apprentice Brady Cross suffered a broken arm when he fell from Chop Chop. Three other jockeys suffered minor injuries.

The mishap came as Australian racing was still mourning the deaths of two Victorian jockeys in separate race falls this month and a bad spinal injury suffered by 2002 and 1995 Melbourne Cup winning rider Damien Oliver.

Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) chief steward Des Gleeson described the incident as "bizarre and extraordinary."

"The club is deeply concerned by this occurrence and is treating the matter as an urgent priority," MRC chief executive Warran Brown said in a statement after an emergency meeting.

He said a number of measures would be put in place, including having extra staff on the course and finishing races earlier before the bids begin to congregate in the late afternoon.

"We have already been in contact with the Department of Sustainability and Environment and will investigate non-destructive eradication programs," he said.

Jockey Greg Childs, who was unhurt, said seagulls had long been a problem at Sandown, while rider Peter Mertens said the birds hit so hard that his mount went sideways.

Only five horses finished the race, which was declared void.

Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper reported that police were called after one angry punter stormed the stewards room to complain about the incident.

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You can't wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you - Look, if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor, just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!