Racing
Ladbrokes Blog: 2026 Magic Millions Day Preview
For the past few months, all roads have led to the Gold Coast as the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival reaches its pinnacle this Saturday on Magic Millions Day.
For more racing and sports previews, visit the Ladbrokes Blog.
With more than $13 million in prize money and bonuses spread across a blockbuster 10-race program, the meeting has cemented its place as one of the most important race days on the Australian calendar, capturing the attention of racing fans around the globe.
The headline acts are the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, each worth a massive $3 million and renowned for unearthing the next generation of elite performers.
I've assessed every race on the Magic Millions Day card and provided my top plays below.
Race 1 – MAGIC MILLIONS MAIDEN PLATE (1100 METRES)
No. 2 Buckeye
BUCKEYE (2) looks to have been set for the rich Magic Millions Maiden Plate by the astute O'Shea & Charlton stable.
The Zousain gelding resumes here for the first time since an impressive display in September where he enjoyed a nice run over this distance at Canterbury before working nicely to the line to finish a nose second.
He looks wound up for a bold showing first-up following two trials with the most recent seeing him giving a strong hit out to win.
From the good draw, Zac Lloyd should give him a great run on speed.
Selections: 2-9-5-12
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 1
Race 2 – MAGIC MILLIONS COUNTRY CUP (1200 METRES)
No. 1 King Gutho
Wowee, this is tough!
KING GUTHO (1) returns to the Gold Coast looking to go one better than last year's Magic Millions Country Cup where he finished just under a length second.
The Joe Cleary-trained gelding was last seen finding the line strongly to win at Queanbeyan in The Thunderbolt which is a stronger race than this.
A recent trial will have tuned him up nicely.
While he's drawn sticky, Tommy Berry is back in the saddle and there looks to be abundance of speed which will help him find a position.
Selections: 1-4-10-13
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 2
Race 3 – MAGIC MILLIONS THE DEBUT 2YO PLATE (1000 METRES)
No. 4 Wendell
The Magic Millions The Debut is a tough race to gauge given every horse is having their first start and we don't know how they'll perform under race day pressure.
I'm happy to side with WENDELL (4) who we know will be well prepared by the Waterhouse & Bott stable.
The Written Tycoon colt ventures north after winning a Rosehill trial by just under three lengths where he looked to have plenty more under the bonnet.
Given the way this stable's horses are ridden, Adam Hyernomius will go forward.
Selections: 4-5-1-6
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 3
Race 4 – MAGIC MILLIONS SUBZERO (2200 METRES)
No. 1 Miss Joelene
MISS JOELENE (1) is a mare in red hot form and looks in an excellent position to better her neck third in last year's edition of the Magic Millions Subzero.
The Kelly Schweida-trained mare was brilliant three starts ago over a mile at Eagle Farm when storming home from the tail to win by a length before not being favoured by the race shape two starts ago when going down by a nose.
She returned to the winner's stall last Saturday when storming home to win The Wave, just as she did leading into this race in 2025.
The wide barrier isn't ideal but it's nothing Cejay Graham has encountered on her before and I expect her to be running home over the top of them.
Selections: 1-3-10-2
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 4
Race 5 – MAGIC MILLIONS FILLIES & MARES (1300 METRES)
No. 4 Jenni The Fox
JENNI THE FOX (4) ventures north from her Victorian base on the back of an impressive black-type win.
The Lucy Yeomans-trained mare settled closer than usual in the Listed Black Pearl Stakes at Geelong, and it proved a winning move as she let down powerfully to win by 1.75 lengths.
Her form prior to that was very good albeit without much luck, but she's rock hard fit.
Craig Williams takes the ride and will hopefully drive forward from barrier 2 to settle handy given there doesn't look to be a great deal of speed in this year's Magic Millions Fillies & Mares race.
Selections: 4-9-1-3
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 5
Race 6 – MAGIC MILLIONS SNIPPETS (1200 METRES)
No. 1 Hidden Wealth
HIDDEN WEALTH (1) has been low flying this preparation with two wins from three starts.
The Tony Gollan-trained gelding returned in super fashion three starts back with a fast-finishing win in the Swiss Ace Plate before racing a touch flat second-up in the Group 3 George Moore Stakes.
He demonstrated his best last start in the Listed Falvelon when proving too strong with 60kg.
He won the Magic Millions QTIS Open over 1300m on this day last year.
Tommy Berry should be able to slide across and settle in a prominent position before taking out the Magic Millions Snippets 2026.
Selections: 1-4-2-6
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 6
Race 7 – MAGIC MILLIONS 2YO CLASSIC (1200 METRES)
No. 4 Warwoven
WARWOVEN (4) is a raging favourite for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and I can't find a reason not to be with him.
The Bjorn Baker-trained colt was ultra-impressive on debut over 1000m at Randwick where he settled third, four lengths off the leader, before letting down strongly to win comfortably by 2.15 lengths.
He came north to Eagle Farm last start where he made a mess of his rivals to comfortably win over this distance by 3.32 lengths.
The son of Sword Of State had plenty left in the tank and will have come on nicely since that run.
He's drawn well and maps to stalk the speed before launching in the straight.
Selections: 4-5-1-7
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 7
Race 8 – MAGIC MILLIONS 3YO GUINEAS (1400 METRES)
No. 1 Ninja
NINJA (1) draws the car park, but I don't think that's enough to stop him from winning the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
The Michael Freedman-trained gelding was outstanding last start in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate where despite being slow away and settling near the tail, he let rip with a devastating turn of foot to put his rivals away in the blink of an eye to win by 4.79 lengths.
He was stiff not to win the start prior when resuming in the Pierata Plate with a half-length third to Grafterburners after being held up and impeded badly.
If Tommy Berry finds a spot with cover, he'll take a power of beating.
Selections: 1-11-6-2
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 8
Race 9 – MAGIC MILLIONS CUP (1400 METRES)
No. 4 Need Some Luck
NEED SOME LUCK (4) is a model of consistency and has come back this preparation in terrific form.
The Peter Snowden-trained gelding loved the heavy conditions first-up at Flemington when winning the Listed Fisher Stakes before producing a forgivable run in the Ladbrokes Meteorite second-up when caught wide throughout.
He bounced back to winning form in a big way last start in the Buffering at Eagle Farm where he let down strongly to salute by a length.
That kept his perfect record over this distance intact.
Given he was six weeks between runs, he'll be cherry ripe for the Magic Millions Cup.
Selections: 4-1-2-7
Bet Now: Gold Coast Race 9
Race 10 – MAGIC MILLIONS CLASS 6 PLATE (1200 METRES)
No. 14 Roselyn's Star
ROSELYN'S STAR (14) resumes here and takes on 1200m for the first time but looks right up to the task.
The O'Shea & Charlton-trained gelding was last seen in October letting down strongly to win over 1100m at Rosehill.
Two trials will have primed him nicely for a bold first-up showing with the first seeing him cruise to the line under a hold for second before being given a solid hit out over 1050m for a 2.4 length victory.
Zac Lloyd should land in a nice position just off what looks a decent speed.
Selections: 14-3-5-12
