It has been reported that a racetrack has had to cancel one of its marquee racing events after it was discovered that a section of its racecourse was ‘poisoned.’

According to an article by abc.net.au, officials with Stawell Race Track in southwest Victoria have been forced to cancel the Stawell Gold Cup horse, scheduled for Easter Sunday, after it was discovered that a 1,000-metre section of the grass track was poisoned. Local police are investigating the situation.

The event annually draws 4,000 spectators. Organizers have been crushed by news of the poisoning. Racing Victoria executive general manager Greg Carpenter has described the situation as “heartbreaking.”

Carpenter has been quoted as saying “the Stawell Gift Carnival over Easter is an iconic event on the Australian sporting calendar and the Stawell Racing Club Stawell Cup on the Sunday of that weekend is in itself also an iconic event."

(With files from abc.net.au)