Calls for Magic Millions shake-up as two-year-old fields dwindle in lead up to rich day
The rich Debut races on Magic Millions day are a great concept, but a leading race club believes it is cannibalising the two-year-old program for the summer carnival, with trainers holding back their juveniles.
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The introduction of the The Debut on Magic Millions day has caused two-year-old fields to dwindle away, a leading race club believes after just four horses greeted the starter in the $200,000 Phelan Ready at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Brisbane Racing Club is calling for the rich $500,000 Debut races, scheduled on Magic Millions day next month, to be moved to the start of the carnival to stop trainers from holding back potential horses for the race.
In shambolic scenes, only four horses went around in the $200,000 Listed Phelan Ready (1000m) following the scratching of $1.10 favourite Spywire from the race.
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After being taken out by Nathan Doyle’s Rush Hour this year, The Debut has been split into two divisions for next year, further magnifying the problem, the BRC believes.
“While the novelty of The Debut races has great merit, we flagged with Magic Millions and the thoroughbred department at Racing Queensland the likelihood of cannibalising our early season races given that two-year-olds are ineligible once they have raced,” BRC Head of Racing Matt Rudolph said.
“It’s a shame to see it play out as the Brisbane lead up races to Magic Millions have provided the past four winners of the race including Away Game, Coolangatta and Skirt The Law who all went in as last start winners.”
Run on a heavy track before the races were called off earlier this year, The Debut delivered strong wagering numbers, racing officials confirmed.
Just seven raced in the Phelan Ready last year, with eight in 2021 and 2020 while only four went around in 2019 when Rathlin won.
The Australian Trainers Association called for the start of the two-year-old season to be pushed back a month to condense the racing schedule for two-year-olds, adding that a stabling shortage in southeast Queensland has made it hard for trainers to bring in yearlings to train up for early races.
Rudolph says The Debut should be run at the start of the summer carnival, giving trainers a ‘win and you’re in’ race for the $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.
“We would love to see these races programmed at the start of the summer carnival to lead into Magic Millions like their Wyong and Ballarat versions down south,” he said.
“It would give owners additional opportunities to run for carnival riches to reinvest at the sales and provide more exposed form for punters which drives wagering.
“The reality now is there will be more two-year-olds trialling over the next month to qualify for The Debut races rather than competing in races.”
Rudolph said the club will meet early this week to discuss the current situation along with other programming priorities they have put to Racing Queensland for the 2024 winter carnival.
Originally published as Calls for Magic Millions shake-up as two-year-old fields dwindle in lead up to rich day
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