Should the Gold Coast get a holiday for Magic Millions?

IT is in the top five horse races in the world’s and will soon be the richest in Australia — but is it time for the Magic Millions carnival to have its own public holiday?

Crowds at the Jeep Million Magic Millions at the Gold Coast Turf Club. Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS

IT is in the top five horse races in the world’s and will soon be the richest in Australia — but is it time for the Magic Millions carnival to have its own public holiday?

The drawcard 2yo Classic, with prize money of $2 million this year, will be a $10 million race in 2016 — surpassing the Melbourne Cup’s $6.2 million haul.

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Melbourne has had a bank or public holiday for Cup Day annually since 1873.

Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox described the idea as “a bottler”.

“I reckon it would be a beauty — it’s exactly what we need,” he said.

“I reckon we’d have it on the Friday, so everyone can get to the horse sales on Friday and then to the races on Saturday.”

However, he might have a fight on his hands with carnival co-owner and retail king Gerry Harvey, with whom he was playing golf at Royal Pines when the Bulletin called yesterday.

“No. Definitely not — there are too many public holidays already,” Mr Harvey said.

“We’d have all the businesses in Queensland screaming their heads off at us.

“If you’re a retail shop or a manufacturing company and you’re closed all day — there are only so many days you can close.”

Mr Harvey was equally unimpressed with a suggestion the Gold Coast Show holiday could be reappropriated for a Magic Millions day off.

“Oh yeah, that’s a good idea, then all the show people would get mad at me and stop buying from Harvey Norman,” he laughed incredulously, adding that he was winning the round of golf despite heavy rainfall the night before.

Acting Prime Minister Warren Truss, in town to announce funding for Exit 54 at Coomera, similarly scoffed at the idea.

“I guess most of the people who go to the Magic Millions don’t need a holiday do they? That’s work,” he laughed..

Whether or not a holiday could be granted in Queensland is down to Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie, who has power to create whole or half-day special holidays under the Holidays Act 1983. Mr Bleijie could not be contacted yesterday.