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“I don't have a problem with it”: Why Wayne Hawkes is confident a night meeting will work for the Magic Millions
Ethan Clark • January 14th, 2025 12:32 pm
This Friday’s postponed holding of the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast has raised eyebrows for its shift from day to night, but it is a non-issue in the eyes of trainer Wayner Hawkes.
After last Saturday’s meeting was postponed due to heavy rain, it was decided that Friday night was the best time to hold the remaining seven-race card, with many questioning how that might affect both the horse’s and trainer’s preparations.
Hawkes explained why he’s confident the meeting will go ahead smoothly despite the changes.
“The sunset at 6:47pm (AEST)… I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” he said on Giddy Up with Miles Pfitzner.
“You don’t have an issue when you take a horse to Moonee Valley or Pakenham the first time, so from a two-year-old point-of-view… I don’t have an issue with that.
“I tell you one thing about racehorses, a lot of them work in the dark under less light.”
Adding to the disruptions facing the Magic Millions, the track at Gold Coast has also attracted attention after a chemical found in weed killer was detected in a damaged section. This caused the January 4 meeting to be moved to the Sunshine Coast.
Police are investigating any wrongdoing but are yet to identify a suspect.
After three races were run at the Gold Coast track on Saturday, the final seven will take place on Friday, kicking off at 6:30pm (AEST).
