2025 Magic Millions track debacle: Radical drop in pitch solution for chemically-damaged Gold Coast track

With a chemically-damaged section of the Gold Coast track deteriorating further overnight, a radical solution has been proposed to keep the Magic Millions at its traditional home next week.

The Gold Coast track has deteriorated further after Saturday’s meeting was called off on Friday. Picture: Supplied

The fate of the 2025 Gold Coast Magic Millions hinges on a radical drop in pitch to replace a section of damaged grass on the new track, as officials face a race against time to get it right for next Saturday.

Racenet can reveal heavy machinery is being floated in from interstate to dig up the section of turf at the 500m mark that has been severely damaged by chemicals and will be replaced by existing unaffected grass that is already on the Gold Coast track.

The procedure will be similar to how many venues now use drop-in pitches for cricket matches.

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The 25m x 10m section of grass first started showing signs of deterioration on Thursday, with the issue coming to a dramatic head on Friday afternoon when stewards stepped in after two horses galloped over the affected turf.

Pictures obtained by Racenet reveal the track had further deteriorated by Saturday morning after the decision was made to shift Saturday’s meeting to the Sunshine Coast.

Racenet’s @bendorries76 speaks to @SCTurfClub CEO John Miller about the drama of the past 24 hours following the switch of today’s Sunlight meeting from the @GCTurfClub. pic.twitter.com/pNq4qARXVq

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) January 4, 2025

• Millions shock: Gold Coast meeting moved to Sunshine Coast after track poisoning

The rich meeting, which acts as the kick-off point to the Magic Millions carnival, has the $3m Sunlight slot race and the $500,000 Wave.

The Gold Coast Turf Club and Racing Queensland have taken samples of the affected turf to send off to specialists to determine what has caused the area to become so badly damaged in a short period of time.

The turf club notified police at 7pm on Friday night of the possibility the track was vandalised. Investigations are ongoing, with Gold Coast police urging witnesses or anyone with relevant information to come forward.

Officials began work to take out the huge damaged section of turf on Saturday, with hopes to have the new grass in place as soon as Monday.

Any work will be dependent on when the huge equipment is able to be trucked into Queensland.

Pictures on Saturday morning reveal the Gold Coast track has further deteriorated. Picture: Supplied

Racenet understands Gold Coast and Magic Millions officials are confident of racing next Saturday’s Magic Millions meeting at the track, however the new section of grass will need to be given the tick of approval by jockeys prior to the meeting.

More than $14m in prizemoney will go on the line next Saturday, with the $3m 2YO Classic and $3m 3YO Guineas the highlight races.

The club and Magic Millions will work on contingency plans over the weekend and into early next week in the event the Gold Coast track is not able to be brought up to speed.

With Eagle Farm already racing next Saturday with a secondary meeting, the track is available to host the Magic Millions should it be required.

It is the latest in a list of track dramas which has haunted the Gold Coast, after it was put offline for almost nine months after a diabolic meeting in March.

The 2023 Magic Millions was also washed out after just two races with 14mm of rain after a rogue sprinkler waterlogged a section of the track.

The state government recently spent $63m on redeveloping the track at the Gold Coast and installing lights.