Hopping mad at Hanging Rock Cup

BENDIGO trainer Brett Mallyon has described yesterday’s abandoned Hanging Rock Cup meeting as a ``comedy’’ act.Racing Victoria Limited stewards were forced to abandon yesterday’s Hanging Rock Cup meeting because of a kangaroo invasion.The traditional Australia Day meeting had attracted thousands of racegoers, but kangaroos invading the track made it impossible for RVL stewards to let the races go ahead.The horses were in the barrier for the first event when jockeys noticed kangaroos close to the track along the back straight.The horses were backed out of the barriers and moves were made to shoo the kangaroos away. Despite the efforts of Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club and RVL staff the kangaroos returned to the vicinity of the track.One kangaroo even managed to hop down the home straight.About 2pm chief steward Peter Ryan had no choice but to abandon the meeting because there were no guarantees that the kangaroos wouldn’t jump on to the track while a race was being run.Mallyon, who saddled up Persona Grata in the opening event, said he was unlikely to return to Hanging Rock for future meetings.“This is the first meeting I’ve ever seen that’s been called off because of kangaroos,’’ Mallyon said.“There’s a cyclone fence around the place, so the kangaroos were corralled in there.“They’d chase the kangaroos up one way and then they’d just bounce back the other way. It was like watching a comedy.“It’s disappointing not to have the horse run and it’s also costly. It’s not cheap to take a horse to the races these days.“I’ve been to Hanging Rock before and I remember last year there was a problem with kangaroos getting on the track.“I would have thought the club would have done something about it yesterday or this morning. There’s no point trying to chase the kangaroos away when the horses are in the barrier.“I won’t be going back (to Hanging Rock) again.”Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club chief executive Mark Graham said the Roos usually stay behind the 1700-metre fence around the track after being encouraged out by staff on race day morning.“These ones were doing an Edwin Moses on us – if you remember the great American hurdler. They were clearing the fence in one bound,” Graham said.Graham said a crowd of more than 5000 people attended the races and about 20 expressed disappointment the races had been postponed.“Country race meetings, kangaroos, barbecues – that’s what Australians are all about, isn’t it?”RVL communications manager Shaun Kelly said the stewards in charge of the meeting had no choice but to pull the pin on the raceday.“The decision to abandon the meeting wasn’t taken lightly, but the safety of horses and riders is of the utmost importance,’’ Kelly said.“According to the stewards there were a number of areas of concern where kangaroos were getting on or near the track.“They deliberated over the decision for a period of time, but we will always be more cautious when horse and rider safety is questioned.”RVL will decide in the next week if it will reschedule the Cup meeting.