Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
The dramas around the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions meetings have been well documented, and we’ve finally arrived at the evening before the big event. Running the glamourous R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic under lights truly makes it an event, and the field has seen no changes from last Saturday when the day was washed out.
Who will be the next star?
The $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic will jump at 6.03pm Queensland time, with the odd time designed to fit in with the televised cricket schedule, and will run before the first ball in the Sydney derby of the Big Bash League. There are seven last start winners in the field of 16, with Peter Snowden-trained maiden filly Memo (Capitalist) the early favourite. She’s placed in all three of her starts and her sire won this race in 2016. Capitalist also has Quietly Arrogant in the field.
Queensland’s premier sire Spirit Of Boom has the most runners in the field with Luva Flutta, La Bella Boom, Formula Rossa, and Forgotten Spirit, while Hi Barbie (I Am Invincible) is out of a Spirit Of Boom mare. Capitalist and I Am Invincible each have two runners with I Am Invincible’s other runner being Invincible Woman.
Gallery: Some of the horses competing in the $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic
The 16 runners averaged $270,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, higher than the sale average for that year of $212,311. They ranged in price from $1.2 million yearling Hi Barbie, while buyers could have purchased five of the runners for less than $100,000 each. The cheapest horse in the field is Don’tdoubthelady (Dubious) who cost $40,000.
One of these will add their name to the impressive honour board for the race, and we won’t have to wait long in the evening to discover who it will be.
The Guineas highlights quality
Racing fans have to wait until Race 5 for the $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions Guineas for 3-year-olds over 1400 metres. Won in recent years by the likes of Alligator Blood (All Too Hard), and Pierata (Pierro), while last year’s winner Abounding (Rich Enuff) goes around in the R. Listed Magic Millions Cup one race earlier on the card.
The average price for the 18 runners in the Guineas is $310,000 with the highest-priced runner being Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) half-brother Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}) who cost $900,000. The early favouritism for the race was vying between Peter Snowden-trained filly Tuileries (So You Think {NZ}) and Bjorn Baker-trained filly Arriving Home (I Am Invincible). Both of these fillies have won their last two starts coming into this and are joined by six other last start winners.
Hellbent has the most runners with Hella Fast, Bauhinia, and Hell To Pay, while Cosmic Force is represented by Give Me Space and Cosmic Fire. Snitzel’s two runners are Bittercreek and Snitzanova, while Zoustar has Zoubaby and Street Chase.
Gallery: Some of the horses that will be competing in the $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas
Millions on offer for the rest of the card
The $2 million R. Listed Magic Millions Cup over 1400 metres is a showcase for the older sprinters with Eleven Eleven (Fastnet Rock) winning it two years in succession in 2021 and 2022. The 2025 version features last year’s Guineas winner Abounding, while only Bel Air (Written Tycoon) and Redford (Snitzel) come into the race as last start winners.
The two early favourites are Stuart Kendrick-trained Redford and Michael Freedman-trained Moravia (Snitzel) who comes into the race off a last start second placing.
Gallery: Some of the horses that will be competing in the $2 million R. Listed Magic Millions Cup
The rest of the card includes the $1 million Subzero over 2200 metres, the $1 million Snippets over 1200 metres, the $1 million Filly & Mare over 1300 metres, and the evening concludes with the $1.5 million QTIS Open over 1300 metres.
And if one meeting on a Friday night isn’t enough for fans, there are also night meetings to be held at a soggy Canterbury in Sydney and at Pakenham in Victoria.
