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Mysterious dart shooters found on race track in HK

Police in Hong Kong are investigating elaborate devices found embedded in the turf at a world-famous horse track apparently designed to shoot poison darts at the animals at the start of a race.

A horse racing official said yesterday the remote-controlled devices could have harmed jockeys and horses, and did not rule out they were used to rig races.

Chief stipendiary steward Jamie Stier, of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said the police were examining the mystery objects.

"The devices have the potential and ability to be very disruptive to the horses and the racing -- if not dangerous," Stier told reporters.

He said the police were assessing the intended purpose of the two devices, which were reportedly designed to fire some type of projectile, and would investigate the possibility of a race-fixing conspiracy.

A track supervisor unearthed the first device on Wednesday morning while making routine checks of the starting points for races scheduled that evening at the Happy Valley racetrack, the Hong Kong Jockey Club said in a statement.

Jockey Club chief executive officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told the Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao Daily News that they were similar to an air conditioner compressor which could cause a loud bang of air.

He said this could significantly disturb horses during running.

Police yesterday stepped up patrols at the racecourse. Stier said results of the investigation could be revealed within days.

The remote controlled shooter included 12 metal tubes, each about 30cm long, filled with darts buried in the grass under the spot where the starting gates would be situated for 1,200m races on Wednesday night.

The tubes, spaced so each would aim up at a horse, were wired together and linked to a wireless receiver, a local newspaper and a police source who declined to be identified said.
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