Novel idea to mane event
Barrier draw gallop down Surfers Paradise beach becomes sands of time
TODAY’S “rock star” event of the Magic Millions bloodstock sales week has come a long way since it was just a twinkle in Mike Winlaw’s eye.
About a dozen jockeys in race silks will thunder horses down the Surfers Paradise beachfront this morning in what has become an annual Magic Millions tradition and a hit with the public.
It was first held in 2012 with just two jockeys on horseback and few onlookers.
Now, as Surfers Paradise Alliance CEO Mr Winlaw points out, it has become a major spectacle with crowds lining barriers for 400 metres down the beach.
He first suggested the idea of bringing race horses to the beachfront when Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox approached him six years ago about involving the city’s tourism in the race week.
At the time, Mr Cox suggested they could bring the barrier draw ceremony — selecting the horse starting spots for the two main races — to a restaurant or beachfront area.
“Then Mike came up with the idea of horses running down the beach,” Mr Cox recalled. “We just went ‘oh that would be fantastic’. What a great addendum and something we thought would be a great way to show off the Gold Coast, its beaches and Queensland generally.”
Champion jockey Hugh Bowman joined fellow rider, the late Tim Bell of Brisbane, for the inaugural 2012 run.
Bowman is back for it this morning and will carry the Commonwealth Games baton down the beach at 7.30am before the second race run at 8.15am.
Soon after Royal Zara Phillips will conduct the barrier draw
for this Saturday’s Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic, and the Three Year Old Guineas.
The beach run has become so prestigious that last year horse-mad Sheikh Fahad AlThani, who won the 2011 Melbourne
Cup with Dunaden and is a member of Qatar’s ruling family, specifically requested if he could take part.
He later told the Bulletin riding on the sand had been “a first for me and good fun”.
Mr Winlaw said the beach run and barrier draw was a “partnership made in heaven for both of us”. “We really feature Surfers Paradise but it gives a great spectacle for the Magic Millions as well.”
Mr Winlaw said the preparation of the sand track for the horse run starts as early as 3am: “We had a jump a lot of hurdles to convince the authorities we could do it and do it safely.”
Mr Cox said the beach run was a personal highlight of his.
“It was a rock star event last year, with so many people involved in what we were trying to do.
“Everyone wants to make it happen, whether they are surf lifesavers, Surfers Paradise Alliance, the Gold Coast council, all were generally supportive and have been all the way through. “Everyone sees the value.” Official reviews estimate it generates $8.8 million worth of media coverage.
Bulletin’s view, P16 Open 2YO field, P40