One can become rather blasé about mil-
lion-dollar races nowadays, but rewind
to the 1980s and a Million really was a
Million. At a stroke, Joe Joyce created
a landmark on the international racing
calendar with the inauguration of the G1
Arlington Million in 1981. Later in that
decade two sales companies at opposite
ends of the world came up with similar
masterstrokes. In Ireland, Goffs promot-
ed the Cartier Million for graduates of its
principal yearling sale; while Queensland
saw the emergence of a similar concept in
the shape of the Magic Millions.
The Cartier Million and the Magic Mil-
lions both attracted plentiful publicity,
with Goffs' showpiece having the twin ad-
vantages of being supported by stalwarts
of Irish bloodstock and being sponsored
by Cartier. However, the Cartier Million
proved unsustainable – as, sadly, did the
racecourse (Phoenix Park in Dublin) at
which the first edition was run.
In Australia, the Magic Millions got off
to a flying start, helped hugely by the cha-
risma of the inaugural winner, the mighty
Snippets (Aus) (Lunchtime {GB}). Howev-
er, it soon found itself sailing into choppy
waters. The heady days of the '80s were
followed by the downturn of the '90s,
during which the company floundered.
Happily a saviour hove into view when
one of Australia's most successful busi-
nessmen, Gerry Harvey, bought the com-
pany 18 years ago. Initially his long-stand-
ing friend John Singleton took a quarter
By JOHN BERRY
