The annual Adelaide River Cup has had to be cancelled because of damage to the town's track caused by feral pigs.
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The popular race meeting, now in its 58th year, traditionally attracts thousands of people to the town about 110 kilometres south of Darwin.
The races were scheduled for June 4 but "will be unable to proceed due to significant damage to the grass track surface caused by feral pigs", organisers said on the weekend.
Thoroughbred Racing NT chairman of stewards David Hensler inspected the track in late April and described the damage caused by the pigs as "catastrophic".
Large sections of track were affected, with the turf and roots completely dug out.
Experts estimate there could be one feral pig for every person living today in Australia.
These destructive and highly mobile pests are a problem across half of Australia and cost farmers more than $100 million each year.
Adelaide River race organisers said they had no option other than to abandon the meeting at the town of about 350 people.
The meeting has been rescheduled for Darwin's Fannie Bay Racecourse, with the same program, on June 4.
This will be the second time in the past three years the races were cancelled after a COVID-19 halt in 2020.
Most of the horses entered for Adelaide River are trained in Darwin.
Thoroughbred Racing NT and Adelaide River Show Society members will meet this week to try and find a solution to the feral pig problems.
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Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
