Waves of cash a magic move

A BOLD plan to complement the rich Magic Millions carnival with another quality race day will bear fruit today with the launch of the $1.5 million The Wave program.

Gold Coast Turf Club has tinkered with its Millions leadup race day in recent years and has come up with a format that adds extra glamour to January racing in the city.

Extra prizemoney and extra qualifying races for major Magic Millions events next week give the two-day summer carnival real focus and entertainment value.

“We have always planned to have two feature Saturdays during the summer racing carnival and it’s fantastic that we can truly bring this to life with the support of Aquis, Magic Millions and Racing Queensland,” Gold Coast Turf Club chairman Brett Cook said.

“This race meeting (today) has already held a growing significance in recent times, with four of the last five winners of the $2 Million Magic Millions 2YO Classic coming out of this day, but it’s fantastic that the whole race day is now a feature day in its own right.”

A total of $11.5 million in prizemoney is up for grabs today and next Saturday.

Today’s Aquis race day features the addition of new feature races headlined by The Wave, which carries $250,000 prizemoney.

The Wave also offers the winner a wildcard entry into the $1 million Magic Millions

Trophy next weekend and a $200,000 bonus if the winner is nominated for the Magic Millions scheme.

Borderline Magic Millions 2YO Classic contenders will use the Gold Nugget and Gold Pearl races today as a means of increasing their prizemoney earnings to qualify for the big race next weekend.

Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Steve Lines said there had been strong interest in the new Aquis race day from Queensland and interstate.

“It’s exciting to have the biggest names in Australian racing converging on the Gold Coast for our new two-week carnival,” Lines said.