The Magic Millions Carnival’s opening meeting has been relocated to the Sunshine Coast after the Gold Coast’s newly renovated track was found to have been poisoned.
The unprecedented decision to move Saturday’s twilight meeting, featuring marquee races such as the $3 million Sunlight slot race and $500,000 The Wave, came after safety concerns were raised by jockeys over a chemically damaged section of the course.
Racing Queensland officials discovered the damage on Friday afternoon, with the affected area—measuring approximately 25m x 10m—located near the 500m mark on the home turn.
Senior jockeys conducted gallops over the section but expressed dissatisfaction with its safety, leading to a swift decision to relocate the meeting.
“The advice from turf experts was that next Saturday’s Magic Millions meeting will be fine to proceed,” said Racing Queensland chief executive Jason Scott. “They believe the track will be able to be fixed up.”
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Representatives from a leading New South Wales turf farm have been engaged to oversee urgent repairs to ensure the Gold Coast track is ready for next Saturday’s marquee Magic Millions Raceday.
Saturday’s meeting at the Sunshine Coast retains its original race times and includes two crucial two-year-old races, offering horses a final opportunity to qualify for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
However, the move has caused logistical challenges for participants, who now face a two-hour trip from the Gold Coast Turf Club to the Sunshine Coast.
Betting markets were left in limbo, with discrepancies among top bookmakers regarding wagers already placed.
The meeting’s relocation also disrupted Channel 7’s planned broadcast of the twilight event, which had been heavily promoted as a free-to-air feature.
The Brisbane Racing Club offered to host the meeting at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but the Sunshine Coast was ultimately chosen, as Eagle Farm is already scheduled to race on Sunday.
This latest incident adds to a tumultuous history for the Gold Coast track, which was closed for much of 2023 following a disastrous meeting in March.
Last year’s Magic Millions was also marred by a wet patch caused by a rogue sprinkler, leading to a washout after just 14mm of rainfall.
With the Gold Coast track now under urgent repair, attention turns to ensuring the venue is ready to host next Saturday’s prestigious Magic Millions Raceday, the highlight of the summer racing calendar.
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