GIDDY up! It isn’t called the Magic Millions for nothing.
With the Australian racing world and the industries it supports one of the biggest in the world, the Gerry Harvey and Katie Page Harvey-run event goes from strength to strength.
“We are 100 per cent behind the industry and we are doing what we can to make this whole event the best in the world,” says business dynamo, Katie Page Harvey,
“We are probably the only business and real-life couple who live, work and play together,” smiled Gerry Harvey, of Harvey Norman fame.
When we spoke, Gerry had a list a few pages long of horses he either trains or owns racing all over the country, the certified horse-aficionado having started the Magic Millions with his great mate, John Singleton.
Gerry’s passion and commitment, with 20,000 staff in his businesses around the country, never seems to wane.
Zara Phillips, equine fan and down-to-earth granddaughter to the queen, was the MM’s star attraction, joined by an A-list line-up of celebrities and racing heavyweights inside the Moet & Chandon VIP Marquee.
Tagged a unique, world-class thoroughbred raceday held each January on the Gold Coast, The Magic Millions also featured the richest race in Queensland, the $2 million Jeep Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Meanwhile, as the Moet is poured, prawns crunched and frocks are checked out, the yearling sales also go on with over $100 million looking to have been spent on horses, by trainers and owners at the close of the sales on Sunday.
VIP guests inside the Moet Marquee included Myer boss Bernie Brookes, Rachael Finch, Mark Beretta, Amanda Ware (2015 Magic Millions Queensland ‘face’), Criquette Head-Maarek (who works with the queen’s horses), Gai Waterhouse, Jodi and Braith Anasta, Pia and Brad Miller, designers Brent Wilson and Johnny Schembri, Melanie Vallejo, Sarah Cumming, style princess Kate Waterhouse and Luke Ricketson and magazine faces Neale Whittaker, Deborah Thomas, Kirsten Galliott and Jackie Frank.
The hottest ticket was to the $700-per-head Moet & Chandon Marquee which featured over 1000 handmade paper flowers, 2000 gold Moet and Chandon champagne goblets, 3000 prawns and 50 custom art deco dining tables.
As the richest sales incentive race day in the world, only graduates of the Magic Millions Sales are eligible to compete for the actual $4.7 million prize pool.
Part of this prize pool is made up of the Magic Millions Racing Women Bonus of $500,000, distributed between the first four all-female owned or leased horses in the Jeep Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
The race is aimed at encouraging racehorse ownership among females, an imitative launched by Katie Page-Harvey in 2013.
Mount Isa owner Lenore Saunders turned out to be the toast of the Gold Coast when her star galloper Le Chef stormed to victory in the $2 million race.
Not only did Ms Saunders collect $1.14 million in prizemoney, she also scooped $325,000 as the first all female runner across the line in the rich juvenile event.
The win was the biggest in racing for the long-time owner as well as her trainer Darryl Hansen and rider Luke Tarrant.
With the fillies, fascinators and fun packed up for the year, both Katie and Gerry will be back bigger than ever for next year’s even grander event. Giddy up!
Follow Melissa on Instagram & Twitter @melissahoyer
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