Racing Queensland spices up early juvenile path with $1.3 million in lead-ups to Magic Millions

Racing Queensland will offer $1.3 million across seven juvenile races during its 2026/27 Summer Racing Carnival, led by a new $150,000 sprint at the Sunshine Coast.

The program is designed to give two-year-olds more opportunities to earn prize money and secure a place in the $3 million TAB Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January 2027. Every race in the series will carry at least $150,000.

The new 1000-metre set-weights race will be held at Corbould Park on November 21, opening the pathway before the $200,000 Phelan Ready Plate at Doomben a fortnight later.

Racing Queensland chairman Matt McGrath said the expanded program was intended to attract local and interstate horses throughout the summer.

“These races provide an incentive for connections to campaign their emerging two-year-olds in Queensland, while giving racing fans more chances to see leading juveniles before the Magic Millions,” McGrath said.

The Debut returns at the Gold Coast Turf Club’s Silks Under the Stars meeting on Friday, December 18. The $200,000 race is restricted to Magic Millions-eligible horses.

The $300,000 Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes will be run over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm on Boxing Day. A revamped 1200-metre two-year-old handicap follows at the same track the next Saturday, with its prize money rising by $45,000 to $150,000.

The Gold Nugget and Gold Pearl retain their traditional positions on Magic Millions Gold Raceday at the Gold Coast on January 9. Both races will carry $150,000 at the twilight meeting.

Brisbane Racing Club chief executive Karl deKroo said Storm Boy and Coolangatta were recent interstate campaigners to use Queensland lead-up races before winning the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

“The additional prizemoney announced here will help us attract quality two-year-olds to Brisbane throughout the summer, giving owners and trainers an incentive to target the BRC program on their way to the Gold Coast,” deKroo said.

The new Sunshine Coast race will form part of Mooloolaba Cup Day, which recorded 42 per cent attendance growth last year, according to Sunshine Coast Turf Club chief executive John Miller.

“This new $150,000 two-year-old race provides local connections with a pathway to Millions qualification,” Miller said.

The juvenile race joins the Mooloolaba Cup and the Swiss Ace Plate, which has been elevated to Listed status, on the Corbould Park program.

Racing Queensland will release the full 2026/27 Queensland Summer Racing Carnival calendar in coming weeks.