The national racing spotlight is firmly on the Gold Coast every summer for the Magic Millions Raceday, one of the richest and most renowned racedays in Australia and now worth $14.25 million in prizemoney. Highlighted by the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, the Raceday is the pinnacle race meeting of the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.
The GCTC also hosts the Hollindale Stakes Raceday which is a feature of the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival and headlined by the Group 2 A.D. Hollindale Stakes. The day features a host of Black Type races including the Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic (2YO), Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas, Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (3YO), Listed Silk Stocking, Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy along with the the Gold Coast Cup for open stayers and the Bat Out of Hell for the sprinters.
$3M Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m)
After the initial Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale was introduced on the Gold Coast in 1986, the inaugural Magic Millions Classic made its debut the following year when the brilliant Snippets raced to victory over Prince Anton and Mother Duck. Snippets was an outstanding juvenile and cemented the reputation of this world first sales-restricted race concept.
Run every January, the Magic Millions Classic now carries total prizemoney of $3M, making it one of the richest two-year-old races in the world. In 2013 Magic Millions introduced the ground-breaking Racing Women initiative to promote female participation in the industry. Since that year a $500,000 Bonus in addition to race prizemoney has been awarded to the first four all female owned or leased horses past the post.
The honour board of the Classic exudes quality and includes the likes of Bold Promise (1991), Clan O’Sullivan (1992), Brave Warrior (1994), General Nediym (1997), Testa Rossa (1999), Assertive Lad (2000), Regimental Gal (2003), Bradbury’s Luck (2005), Mimi Lebrock (2007), Military Rose (2010), Driefontein (2012), Capitalist (2016), Houtzen (2017), Sunlight (2018) and Coolangatta (2022). In 2004, Dance Hero became the first two-year-old to complete the Magic Millions-Golden Slipper double, a feat that was emulated by Queensland’s Phelan Ready in 2009 and Capitalist in 2016.
$3M Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m)
First run in 2001, the Magic Millions Guineas now carries total prizemoney of $3M. The race has continued to evolve throughout its history to be much sought-after event with many trainers from interstate competing for victory. From the Victorian three-year-old Paradiddle, which won the inaugural running in 2001, to the Ron Maund-trained Gold Edition, which became the first Queensland-trained winner of the race when she raced to a brilliant victory in 2007. Recent star winners of the Guineas include Torio’s Quest (2011), Saluter (2012), Sweet Idea (2014), Deiheros (2015), Pierata (2018) and King of Sparta (2022).
The other races on the Magic Millions Raceday program now boast $13.25M in race prizemoney.
- $2M Magic Millions Cup (1400m)
- $1M Magic Millions Subzero (2200m)
- $1M Magic Millions Fillies & Mares (1300m)
- $1M Magic Millions Snippets (1200m)
- Magic Millions Country Cup (1200m)
- Magic Millions The Debut (1000m)
- Magic Millions Class 6 Plate (1200m)
- Magic Millions Maiden Plate (1100m)
Current information on the Magic Millions Raceday Program can be found here.
$500,000 TAB Magic Millions The Wave (1800m)
The TAB Wave, inaugurated in 2020 as part of a two-week Gold Coast Summer Carnival has emerged as one of the fastest-growing events on the racing calendar. Taking place during the first week in January, this 1800m race for three and four-year-olds is held under weight-for-age conditions and is now run on the Magic Millions Gold Twilight Meeting.
In its inaugural year, A Man To Match set the benchmark with a record time of 1:47.83. The 2021 edition saw the Danny O’Brien trained Paradee complete the double in winning both The TAB Wave and Magic Millions Open the following week. It took a long-range plan by trainer Kurt Goldman and a perfect steer from hoop Angela Jones to see Arts Object ($51) take out the 2024 TAB Wave.
The Magic Millions Gold Twilight Meeting boasts $7.3M in prizemoney and includes;
- TAB Magic Millions Sunlight (Slot Race) (1100m)
- The Sunlight Consolation (1100m)
- Magic Millions QTIS Open (1300m)
- Magic Millions The Syndicate (1100m)
- Magic Millions Rising Stars Colts, Geldings & Entires (1300m)
- Magic Millions Rising Stars Fillies & Mares (1300m)
- Magic Millions Maiden Plate (1400m)
- Aquis Gold Nugget (1100m)
- Aquis Gold Pearl (1100m)
$500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO (1200m)
Inaugurated in 2018, this race is a marquee event for two-year-olds running at set weights. This 1200m dash attracts the best juvenile talent in Queensland, making it a crucial fixture in the racing calendar. The race’s history is filled with memorable moments, including the 2022 record-setting performance by Shesgottheboom, who blazed through the course in an impressive 1:09.88. One of the most notable renditions of the race was in 2020, when Kisukano triumphed over the heavily favoured Rothfire, who started at $1.20, in a stunning upset that racing fans still talk about today.
$500,000 QTIS Jewel 3YO (1200m)
The QTIS Jewel 3YO is a standout race for three-year-olds, run over 1200m at set weights. In 2022, former Group 1 champion turned star stallion Spirit Of Boom captured the headlines by siring the winners of both feature races, thanks to She’sgottheboom (2YO) and Prince Of Boom (3YO). In 2024, Group 1-winning rider Nikita Beriman stepped up to the plate with speed machine Party For Two. Her win was just the latest in an extraordinarily successful time for female Queensland jockeys on Jewel day, winning six of the 10 races.
Held in conjunction with the March Gold Coast Yearling Sale the $2M Jewel Raceday also includes;
- $150,000 The Gold Jewel (1400m)
- $125,000 Gold Coast Stakes (1800m)
- $125,000 Military Rose Plate (1100m)
$500,000 Group 2 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m)
Named in honor of former GCTC chairman Alan Hollindale, the Hollindale Stakes is the Gold Coast’s most prestigious black-type race. Introduced in 1989, this weight-for-age contest consistently attracts a high-quality field, reflecting its esteemed status.
Granted Listed status in 1991, the race was elevated to Group 3 in 1993 and achieved Group 2 status in 1996. Over the years, the Hollindale Stakes has been won by some of Australia’s finest gallopers. The 1998 race was particularly special with the participation of the champion Might And Power, the previous year’s Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double winner. To honour this legendary horse, the GCTC has named an on-course bar after him.
Notable winners include New Zealand’s Rough Habit, who triumphed in 1991 and 1992, Durbridge in 1994, and Shogun Lodge with back-to-back victories in 2000 and 2001. In recent years, the most remarkable achievement has been by Annabel Neasham’s star, Zaaki, who secured an impressive hat-trick by winning the Hollindale Stakes in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Neasham also continued her association with the race in 2024 by again claiming Hollindale honours, this time with Numerian.
$200,000 Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m)
The Guineas was added to the feature Hollindale Stakes meeting in 2000. It was initially a 1400m event but was switched to 1200m in 2006. The race has earned its Group 3 status after a series of high-class winners, including Eremein (2005), Fashions Afield (2006) and Gold Edition (2007). In 2018, Champagne Cuddles set the track alight to win the 1200m spring in a track record time of 1:07.65.
$200,000 Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m)
This listed two-year-old feature race was first run in 1974 and now carries the name of former champion Gold Coast jockey Ken Russell. It attained Listed status in 1984 before being upgraded to its current Group 3 status and after a number of distance changes, is now run over 1200m in May as part of the Hollindale Stakes program.
$160,000 Listed Prime Minister’s Cup (1400m) sponsored by Australian Turf Club
Before the introduction of the Magic Millions Carnival, the Prime Minister’s Cup was the Gold Coast’s best-known race. Introduced in 1974, this event has long been a cornerstone of the Queensland Winter Carnival. Originally a 2400m race, it served as a crucial lead-up to the Doomben Cup and Brisbane Cup.
Among its notable winners was the resilient Kiwi stayer Avitt, who triumphed three consecutive times from 1982 to 1984. Another standout was New Zealand’s Prized Gem, the first to complete the PM’s Cup-Brisbane Cup double in 2002. The race even attracted the attendance of two serving Prime Ministers, Malcolm Fraser in 1982 and John Howard in 1999.
The Prime Minister’s Cup received a makeover in 2006 and was transformed into a sprint race. Now run over 1400m and known as the Australian Turf Club Trophy it is still one of the key races during the feature May race meeting.
$160,000 Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m)
The Bracelet, for three-year-old fillies, is run in May and is a key lead-up to the Queensland Oaks. It was added to the Gold Coast Cup meeting in 2006 when taken out by the Sydney filly Super Lacuna.
$160,000 Listed Silk Stocking (1400m)
The Silk Stocking, now run in May, is a Listed race for fillies and mares. The race was introduced in 1991 as a 1400m race but was switched to 1200m in 2005. In 2021, the race returned to its original distance of 1400m.
$125,000 Listed Goldmarket Handicap (1200m)
The Goldmarket Handicap is the oldest feature race at the Gold Coast Turf Club, with a rich history dating back to 1963 when it was first won by the outstanding mare Emborne, who repeated her victory in 1964. Originally known as the Newmarket Handicap and run by the Southport & District Amateur Race Club, the event and the club underwent a transformation in 1965, becoming the Gold Coast Turf Club and eventually renaming the race to the Goldmarket Handicap in 1973.
Throughout its history, the Goldmarket has been contested over various distances but is now a 1200m race. From 1969 for many years, the race enjoyed the sponsorship of Carlton & United, marking one of the longest sponsorship associations in Australian racing.
Achieving Listed status in 1994, the Goldmarket has been won by some of the finest gallopers, including Emborne (1963-64), Charlton Boy (1973-74), Blue’s Finito (1976-77), Cole Diesel (1989), Tiny’s Finito (1991), and Black Piranha (2009). Champion jockeys Mick Dittman and Mel Schumacher share the record for the most Goldmarket wins, each with five victories.
$125,000 Gold Coast Cup (2400m)
The Gold Coast Cup was introduced in 2018 as a standalone race as part of the transformation of the Prime Minister’s Raceday. The inaugural race was won by the John Zielke-trained Dreams Aplenty. In 2019, an exciting partnership with Heineken added a unique twist, allowing 11 lucky people to draw a runner in the race. The participants who drew the Chris Waller-trained The Lord Mayor were rewarded with an unforgettable trip for 2 to Amsterdam.
$105,000 Bat Out of Hell (900m)
First held in 1996, the Bat Out Of Hell quickly became the premier sprint race at the Gold Coast Turf Club. Traditionally run in January, this thrilling event has now been moved to our Feature May meeting as a key sprint race for the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.
The record for the fastest Bat Out Of Hell was set by Tornado Alley in 2008, clocking an impressive 49.66 seconds over 900 meters. The closest attempt to break this record came in 2017 when Prompt Return, trained by local trainer Toby Edmonds, ran a swift 49.86 seconds.
This feature race attracts contenders from Sydney and northern NSW, showcasing top sprinting talent. Notable winners include Mother’s Gift, the speedy Star of Florida, who went on to win many feature sprints in Sydney, Helter Skelter, Burdekin Blues, and back-to-back winner Plateau Gold. More recently, Goldsborough & La Amigo produced a dead heat in the 2023 running adding to the race’s illustrious history.
The $105,000 Bat Out Of Hell draws a quality field of sprinters.
$125,000 Pink Ribbon Cup (1200m)
Held every September, the Pink Ribbon Cup is a centerpiece of Australia’s largest community fundraiser for the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), the Raceday is dedicated to raising essential funds for breast cancer research.
In 2020, the significance of this event was recognised with an upgrade to Metropolitan Raceday status. The inaugural running of the Pink Ribbon Cup provided even more exposure for the event and this important cause. In 2023, the initiative was expanded to Pink Ribbon Raceweek in conjunction with Racing Queensland and other SEQ racing venues.
