How Magic Millions racehorses came to run down Surfers Paradise beach

A HIGHLIGHT of the Magic Millions racehorse sales week hits Surfers Paradise beach this morning.

TODAY’S “rock star” event of the Magic Millions bloodstock sales week has come a long way since it was just a twinkle in Mike Winlaw’s eye.

About a dozen jockeys in race silks will thunder horses down the Surfers Paradise beachfront this morning in what has become an annual Magic Millions tradition and a hit with the public.

It was first held in 2012 with just two jockeys on horseback and few onlookers.

Now, as Surfers Paradise Alliance CEO Mr Winlaw points out, it has become a major spectacle with crowds lining barriers for 400 metres down the beach.

The Magic Millions Barrier Draw which now famously includes horses ripping down Surfers Paradise Beach, an amazing spectacle which draws big crowds. This is last January’s event. Picture: Tim Marsden

He first suggested the idea of bringing race horses to the beachfront when Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox approached him six years ago about involving the city’s tourism in the race week.

At the time, Mr Cox suggested they could bring the barrier draw ceremony — selecting the horse starting spots for the two main races — to a restaurant or beachfront area.

“Then Mike came up with the idea of horses running down the beach,” Mr Cox recalled. “We just went ‘oh that would be fantastic’. What a great addendum and something we thought would be a great way to show off the Gold Coast, its beaches and Queensland generally.”

Champion jockey Hugh Bowman joined fellow rider, the late Tim Bell of Brisbane, for the inaugural 2012 run.

Magic Millions’ first barrier draw beach run at Surfers Paradise back in 2012 with top jockey Hugh Bowman and a man believed to be the late Tim Bell.

Bowman is back for it this morning and will carry the Commonwealth Games baton down the beach at 7.30am before the second race run at 8.15am.

Soon after Royal Zara Phillips will conduct the barrier draw for this Saturday’s Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic, and the Three Year Old Guineas.

The beach run has become so prestigious that last year horse-mad Sheik Fahad Al-Thani, who won the 2011 Melbourne Cup with Dunaden and is a member of Qatar’s ruling family, specifically requested if he could take part.

Sheik Fahad Al-thani in the red silks takes part in the Surfers Paradise beach run during last January’s Magic Millions bloodstock sales week carnival. Picture: Richard Gosling

He later told the Bulletin riding on the sand had been “a first for me and good fun”.

Mr Winlaw said the beach run and barrier draw was a “partnership made in heaven for both of us”. “We really feature Surfers Paradise but it gives a great spectacle for the Magic Millions as well.”

Surfers Paradise Alliance CEO Mike Winlaw first dreamed up the idea for the horse run down the beach after Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox approached him about bringing the race day barrier draw to the tourism centre: “We really feature Surfers Paradise but it gives a great spectacle for the Magic Millions.” Photo: Steve Holland

Mr Winlaw said the preparation of the sand track for the horse run starts as early as 3am: “We had a jump a lot of hurdles to convince the authorities we could do it and do it safely.”

Mr Cox said the beach run was a personal highlight of his.

“It was a rock star event last year, with so many people involved in what we were trying to do.

Outgoing Magic Millions director Vin Cox on the Magic Millions racehorse beach run: “It was a rock star event last year, with so many people involved in what we were trying to do.” Picture: Jerad Williams

“Everyone wants to make it happen, whether they are surf lifesavers, Surfers Paradise Alliance, the Gold Coast council, all were generally supportive and have been all the way through.

“Everyone sees the value.”

Official reviews estimate it generates $8.8 million worth of media coverage.