Magic Millions 2020: Rachel Griffiths reveals how she won over Katie Page to make Ride Like a Girl

Rachel Griffiths reveals for the first time how she used the Gold Coast Magic Millions race day to win over one of Australia’s most powerful business figures to make her film Ride Like a Girl.

THREE years ago famed film star Rachel Griffiths sweltered on a racetrack just so she could have five minutes with one of the Gold Coast’s most influential women.

Why?

Because she wanted to get Harvey Norman CEO and Magic Millions co-owner Katie Page on board of her film Ride Like A Girl.

The famed film star Griffiths, who known for featuring in American drama series Six Feet Under and Muriel’s Wedding, recalls flying to the Gold Coast for the 2017 Magic Millions Race Day.

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Katie Page-Harvey, Michelle Pyne, Rachel Griffiths. Picture: Ken Butti

“We hung around all day and finally Katie’s assistant came up and said ‘Ok Katie can see you for five minutes’,” Ms Griffiths said.

“We told her ‘We have to make a PG family sports film which will make grown men cry...’ We only had five minutes.

“(Katie) said ‘Um. Ok. I’m not there but I’m listening. Come see me in Sydney.”

Three months later, Mrs Page - who is executive and CEO of Harvey Norman and Magic Millions co-owner - was on board.

Rachel Griffiths with Jockeys Michelle Payne, Linda Meech and Jamie Kah. . Pic: Michael Klein

Ride Like A Girl tells the story of Michelle Payne who left school at 15 to become a jockey and went on to become the first female to win Melbourne Cup in 2015.

Since its release on September 26, the film made $10 million within the first five weeks at the Australian Box Office and has been dubbed the biggest Australian film of 2019.

Griffiths has shown off the film at almost every major horse racing event around Australia.

Tonight a special free screening will be held on Surfers Paradise beach at 6.30pm.

Ms Payne joined by her brother Stevie, Ms Griffiths, Royal Zara Phillips and husband Mike Tindall, and polo stars Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras and wife Delfina Blaquier will watch it alongside the public.

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Actor and director Rachel Griffiths (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images for New Zealand Film Commission)

Griffiths said showing on the Gold Coast to some of the biggest names in the horse racing industry was a “huge honour”.

“There’s been a lot of negative stories (about horse racing) in the past year. While it’s been really painful for the industry, it’s really woken the industry up to elevate their sense of responsibility,” Griffiths said.

“(The film) celebrates the resilience, the hard work and the way bush families have to be.”

She also added Mrs Page is her “angel investor” who she thanked for making the film happen.

“You can’t make a film from the outside and have the industry be like ‘oh that’s so bad’. We needed people in the industry on board.”