Magic Millions featured 2- and 3-year-olds races will be boosted to AU$3 million (US$2,062,200) for 2024 and a $1 million junior race Australian dollars ($687,400) to auction house graduates in the company’s National Sale in late May to be held as part of a massive revamp of the Gold Coast carnival .
Gold Coast night meetings, featuring a AU$3 million slot machine race over 1,100 meters for all 3-year-olds on Magic Millions 2YO Classic and Guineas eve, will also be rolled out during the event. a series of announcements made by Racing Queensland and the state to the government at a Magic Millions polo and diving event featuring many celebrities on the glittering strip on January 8.
Other initiatives unveiled by Magic Millions, Racing Queensland and Racing Minister Grace Grace include:
- The second installment of the popular AU$250,000 ($171,850) Magic Millions Maiden over 1,400 meters will be featured for the 2024 summer festival.
- A six-race card that includes AU$5.25 million ($3,608,850) in prize money will be held on Friday night of the Magic Millions sale, January 10, 2025, in a similar manner to how the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Million twilight meeting was held in Ellerslie.
- The Magic Millions Cup (1,400m) has doubled to AU$2 million ($1,374,800) by 2025 and the Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS Open (1,300m) has increased by AU$500,000 ($343,700) to 1.5 million Australian dollars ($1,031,100).
- The total prize money of AU$20 million ($13,748,000) for 15 races over 24 hours at the Gold Coast Turf Club has been upgraded during the January Magic Millions sale.
- Saturday’s meeting alone will bring in AU$14.25 million ($9,795,450) in 2024 and AU$14.75 million ($10,139,150) in 2025.
Magic Millions CEO Barry Bowditch said the company is continuing to make changes to its popular racing festival, which on January 14 will host the A$1 million (AU$687,400) The Syndicate. dollars) (1,200 million) and 500,000 Australian dollars The Debut (900 million) for the first time.
“I think seven or eight years ago, Vin (Cox, then chief executive) and Gerry (Harvey, the owner) called the first day worth of AU$10 million ($6,874,00) ‘” game changer’ and we think it’s time to take a whole new look at the whole new level, so from 2025 we’re going to be AU$20 million in 24 hours,” Bowditch told ANZ Bloodstock News.
A great announcement earlier today. The Magic Millions Racing Festival is getting bigger and MUCH better. More opportunities for more horses and more owners! Raised stakes, new races, Friday night races – so much to happen in the next 2 years!#MoreMagic #MMGC2023 pic.twitter.com/BNuqHBGIIm
– Millions of spells (@mmsnippets) January 8, 2023
“We’ll race Friday night with six races and come back the next day, and we’ll run nine more races totaling AU$20 million.
“This will include a AU$3 million 2 year old race, the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, which will grow by AU$1 million by 2024 to AU$3 million, as well as a 3 year old race ( Magic Millions Guineas).
“There will be two other new races in 2024, and then under the lights in 2025 we’ll have a AU$5.25 million night, including a 3 million place race. Aussie dollars for everyone. This is going to be the richest 3-year race – the old sprint I know and we’ll have a good card to surround it.”
Outgoing Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell, who will be leaving the organization in March to take up a role in the UK, was at the Magic Millions Polo and Showjumping events on 8 January to announce the move huge bonus increases and program changes.
He said the introduction of a January slot machine race in the spotlight and the addition of the A$1 million Magic Millions Winter 2YO Classic (1,000m) will fill the gap in the program for those interested. Ponies do not fit BRC Sires Production Stocks or JJ Atkins Discs.
“It’s a really exciting announcement and it’s really meant to bring literal attention to Queensland’s carnivals, with the lights on on the Gold Coast and two festive encounters,” Parnell said. New masquerade under the lights of the Gold Coast.
“We saw a big gap in the pattern for the summer 3-year-old sprint so it would be a AU$3 million slot machine race, making for the wealthiest night ever under the lights in Australia… and bringing in the Magic Millions brand in the winter to coincide with the largest herd sale in the Southern Hemisphere would fit there.”
Parnell said the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba already host nighttime meetings in the northern state, but the addition of Gold Coast evening races from 2024 would be a welcome addition to the calendar.
“There is a commercial interest in running all night and getting a large export (betting) revenue,” he said. There is also the welfare benefit of running all night during the hotter months of the year.”
“If it’s too hot, you can hold meetings in the evening when it’s much cooler, so there will be many benefits, and also create new betting and racing products to attract attendees .”
Bowditch believes the increased prize money and new races have given Magic Millions a “huge advantage” over its rivals, particularly Inglis.
“The race series has been a huge motivator for people to spend money on (our annual sales), he said.
“The participants who have supported our race series are giving us extra excitement to continue to improve it.
“If I were a distributor or a trainer out there, I’d have to say the Magic Millions product would be a lot easier to sell.”
Queensland Racing Minister Grace Grace said the Magic Millions revenue streak and race days on the Gold Coast were a key driver of the state’s tourism.
“Magic Millions has an economic contribution of more than A$42 million ($28,870,800). It attracts 19,000 unique visitors from the states and abroad, and over 84,000 sleep nights booked over 14 days. taking place the National Carnival and Sales,” said Minister Grace.
“I’m also excited to announce improvements to future versions of Magic Millions, with more prize money and more races to come in the coming years, thanks to a $63 million upgrade. AU$43,306,200 for the Gold Coast Turf Club including broadcast quality lighting for the night race.”
The four Magic Millions-sponsored Guineas races in Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns in central and northern Queensland will also increase prize money to AU$75,000 ($51,555) under the new sponsorship arrangements.
