ON A WINNER
Games honour carried with a ‘sense of pride’
ONLY on the Gold Coast.
Tomorrow, the world’s best jockey Hugh Bowman, symbolic Commonwealth Games baton relay and glitzy Magic Millions racehorse sales carnival roll into one.
Bowman will proudly carry the Commonwealth Games baton on horseback down Surfers Paradise beach, flanked by fellow jockeys, about 7.30am.
It will be the baton relay’s first time on the Coast ahead of its official arrival for the Games in April.
Bowman, recently named the world’s best jockey, said it was a great honour to be asked to run the baton down the beach as part of Games buildup and Magic Millions hype.
The spectacular traditional horse run down the beach will follow before royal Zara Phillips conducts the barrier draw for next Saturday’s marquee Magic Millions Two-YearOld Classic Race.
“It really is a special thing to do,” Bowman said yesterday of the baton run.
“I will carry it with a great sense of pride as an Australian. It goes beyond all my success and achievements in racing, this is a bit of a different feel.”
Bowman, a winning rider in the prestigious Japan Cup and well known as the jockey of champion racer Winx, is among the VIPs who have descended on the Coast for Magic Millions.
He had a crack at playing in the Magic Millions Polo yesterday in a trainers versus jockeys match and rides Jonker, a favourite in next Saturday’s Two-Year-Old Classic.
Bowman recalled winning the 2005 Classic on Bradbury’s Luck: “It was a big event then but it’s really gone to a new level. It’s not just a horse race or horse sales, the Magic Millions is a brand and it’s an event.”
For the second year running, the Pacific Fair Polo kicked off the Magic Millions social festival at Doug Jennings Park at Main Beach yesterday.
While polo superstar Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras has been working hard to bring the sport to the Gold Coast, it seems he has been just as busy showing off the Glitter Strip to the world.
The Argentinian face of Ralph Lauren’s Black Label line and Magic Millions Polo ambassador has been immers-
ing himself in local culture since his arrival to the city.
“This place is beautiful, it’s my first time here,” he said yesterday.
“It’s (the Gold Coast) a wonderful place. The ocean is incredible. I got to surf yesterday morning, which was incredible. We’ve been having a great time so far.”
Mr Figueras said the polo was perfect for people who “love horses”.
“We’re all horse-lovers. It’s a wonderful thing. It’s a celebration of horses so I’m very happy and proud to be here.”
Magic Millions co-owner Katie Page-Harvey said the event was showcasing the Gold Coast to the world.
“You’re showcasing through Nacho. Look at his social media over the last few days, there he is surfing, there he is on his balcony looking at the dolphins coming past, I mean it’s great,” she said.
She said yesterday’s exclusive waterside event was designed to bring “polo to the people”.
“I want to grow these numbers (of people attending) to 7000, 10,000, 12,000 and having Nacho here, he is the face of polo in the world. He is amazing and he’s got a lot of good ideas and he wants to help me do that as well.”
WE’RE ALL HORSE LOVERS. IT’S A WONDERFUL THING. IT’S A CELEBRATION OF HORSES SO I’M VERY HAPPY AND PROUD TO BE HERE. IGNACIO “NACHO” FIGUERAS