A JOCKEY runs and ducks for cover in the middle of a racecourse as giant birds swoop down and try to attack him.
This incredible footage shows Jye McNeil running away from the flying beasts laughing – until he realises he really is in danger.
One of the birds swoops down while trying to take a bite out of the jockey
Former Melbourne Cup winner McNeil takes a tumble while avoiding the wrath of the birds
McNeil, who won the Melbourne Cup in 2020 on Twilight Payment, was walking the Bendigo track in Australia before racing started.
But as he was checking the ground a plover swooped from above and appeared to try to take a bite out of him.
McNeil leaped to the floor for cover before rolling back onto his feet and sprinting back to the safety of the parade ring.
Although the birds did come after him twice more he looked to have escaped their aerial assault.
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Back out of harm’s way, McNeil said: “I had a bit of an experience before the first race where I got attacked by a few birds and got tripped over.
“I felt all the areas of the track as I was rolling around on the ground.
“I was scared.
“The worst thing is when I went out to walk the track there was half a dozen jockeys coming back, not one of them warned me there were plovers attacking people on the track.
“It was an awful experience.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to walk a track again!”
Twitter users were in stitches as the jockey’s misfortune.
One joked it was the ‘stuff of nightmares’ while another said: “This is hilarious. Watching on repeat.”
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