Gold Coast Turf Club ready to welcome capacity crowd for country’s richest race day

MORE than 25,000 horse lovers, royalty, celebrities and thousands of Gold Coasters will converge at the Gold Coast Turf Club today for the country’s richest race day — the Jeep Magic Millions Raceday.

Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips with Pepper. Picture: Richard Gosling

EAT your heart out Australia — it’s racing showtime on the Gold Coast.

More than 25,000 horse lovers, royalty, celebrities and thousands of Gold Coasters will converge at the Gold Coast Turf Club today for the country’s richest race day — the Jeep Magic Millions Raceday.

Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Steve Lines said ticket sales indicated the flagship meet was on track to attract another record crowd.

“We’re way ahead on last year, so we’re expecting to reach capacity,” he said.

“Last year we had 25,000, so we’ll be hitting that mark for sure from what we can see.”

Mr Lines said the event was the envy of race clubs around the country.

From left: Model and actress Jodi Anasta, Mike Tindall, Zara Phillips MBE, jockey Kathy O'Hara and 800 Words star Melina Vidler are race-ready. Picture: Richard Gosling

“We know the demand has gone through the roof — people want to be at our racetrack,” he said.

“There’s a massive interest from the general public. Logistically for us it’s a massive exercise to get them all in and keep them comfortable but we do it.

“This is a provincial racetrack that we want to take to a metro eventually and we’re doing the biggest meeting in Australia.”

Celebrity guests including Zara Phillips MBE and her husband Mike Tindall, Myer ambassador Jodi Anasta, Magic Millions Carnival and Sales ambassador Hamish McLachlan, Channel 7’s Amanda Abate, Logie-winning 800 Words star Melina Vidler will enjoy today’s program of racing from the trackside, sold-out, air-conditioned VIP Marquee.

Mr Lines said the premium and corporate offerings for today’s event were sold out.

Zara Phillips at the Gold Coast Turf Club with showjumper Pepper. Picture: Richard Gosling

“We have thousands and thousands of glasses and plates, we’ve got a couple of tonnes of prawns and a couple of tonnes of beef and a couple of tonnes of oysters, so we’re bulging and ready to go,” he said.

Gates open at 9am, with Fashions on the Field registrations from 10am, the first race at 11.40am and the main race, the Race 8: Jeep Magic Millions 2yo Classic over 1200m, at 3.55pm.

Hot Tomato will broadcast live from the event from 11am to 5pm.

Channel Seven's 800 Words and Logie winner Melina Vidler. Picture: Richard Gosling

Turf Club manager Richard Towson said the club had improved on-site facilities to comfortably accommodate more punters for this year’s race day.

“The Meadow area behind the event centre was cut off last year — we had helicopters flying in and out there — but we’ve opened that all up,” he said.

“There’s not a track in the world, I believe — and I’ve been to a fair few of them — that has an outlook like we do.

“The aerial shots of the track so close to Surfers Paradise and the race go all over Australia and worldwide.”

Royal Zara Phillips with Pepper. Picture: Richard Gosling

In fact, Mr Lines is so impressed with the new Meadow area, that’s where he’d be camped out today if he wasn’t busy hosting visiting officials from race clubs throughout Australia.

“Honestly, if I wasn’t working I’d be down the GA with my shorts and hat on soaking up the atmosphere in the Meadow,” he said.

Jockey Kathy O'Hara in the mounting yard. Picture: Richard Gosling

Racegoers are encouraged to leave the car at home and travel to the turf club for free on public transport.

Cabs will drop off and pick up from the usual designated area, with Uber customers to be “breadcrumbed” — directed to pick-up points in and around the precinct — when they book.

Mr Lines said the race day would become bigger again as the club expanded its facilities.

“We’ve got some submissions we’re working on to go to the body that involve track upgrades and a tunnel so we can access centre field, which will give us a lot of scope to do other things,” he said.