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Changes to Magic Millions Carnival for 2025
Magic Millions has rejigged its summer program with the meeting scheduled for the night before the Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday moved a week earlier.
It has been done in consultation with Racing Queensland, which is taking a cautious approach to the Gold Coast track, which returned to racing last Saturday.
The new $3 million TAB Magic Millions Sunlight, a slot race for three-year-olds, will headline the January 4 meeting which also includes the $1m TAB Magic Millions The Syndicate, the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate, a $250,000 Sunlight Consolation and a new $250,000 Magic Millions Class 6 Plate over 1200m.
On the same card, prize money for The Wave doubles to $500,000 and the race will be run exclusively for Magic Millions Race Series nominated horses in 2025, however, it will no longer be age restricted, with the 1800m weight-for-age feature now available to three-year-olds and up.
The $14.5 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday on Saturday, January 11 also boasts a raft of enhancements headlined by the Magic Millions Cup doubling in prize money to $2 million.
While the Magic Millions The Debut races were divided for colts and geldings and fillies this year, the unique $500,000 feature for two-year-olds will be run as an open race for first starters at The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday in 2025.
However, a $250,000 edition of Magic Millions The Debut, open to colts, geldings and fillies, will also be programmed at the Gold Coast on Friday, December 20, which is poised to be run as the club's first night meeting.
"This new schedule for Summer is the best outcome for everyone - for participants, horses and punters," Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said.
"We fully endorse the objectives of Racing Queensland and the Gold Coast Turf Club to provide surety of a fantastic safe racing surface and support its longevity.
"It's a complementary program of features that achieves all our objectives. The exciting race additions, prize money increases and a new $3 million slot race under lights.
"To have 20 races and more than $20 million in prize money returned to owners, trainers and jockeys across two Saturdays bookending the Gold Coast Yearling Sale will be nothing short of phenomenal."
