Chaos as two horses ESCAPE a Magic Millions promo event on the Gold Coast and gallop across highway and tramlines – before being captured more than a kilometre away
- Two horses bolted from a promo event at Surfers Paradise beach
- Both travelled across the Gold Coast highway and several busy tram areas
- Horses were later captured more than a kilometre from the beach
- Queensland Police later released a statement saying the horses were unhurt
- Another horse bolted from an enclosure and jumped in a canal on Saturday
Onlookers watched on in shock as two horses bolted from a Magic Million promotional event on Tuesday morning and narrowly avoided being hit by vehicles and light rail.
The horses were competing in an annual ‘mock race day’ on the sand at Surfers Paradise Beach, an event which sees celebrities and VIPs ride horses along the sand in front of hundreds of onlookers.
Billy Slater and visiting royal Zara Tindall were amongst those present when two horses managed to escape the barricades and bolted towards the busy Gold Coast highway.
In shocking footage uploaded to Twitter, the two fleeing horses can be seen crossing sand dunes and pedestrian footpaths in a panicked state before heading directly to the nearby highway.
In shocking footage uploaded to Twitter, the two fleeing horses can be seen crossing sand dunes and pedestrian footpaths in a panicked state before heading directly to the nearby highway.
The horses were competing in an annual ‘mock race day’ on the sand at Surfers Paradise Beach
It’s understood both horses then crosses the Gold Coast light rail tracks several times, evading the dozen or so race officials who had attempted to apprehend them from the beach.
They also managed to avoid any contact with vehicles on what is one of the busiest stretches of the Gold Coast highway – at the time heaving with holiday makers and back-to-work commuters.
Queensland Police later released a statement saying the horses were safely apprehended and loaded on to floats about a kilometre from their original location.
Magic Millions media manager Greg Irvine said that while he was not on site at the beach promotion during the escape, he confirmed both horses were rescued unharmed.
Onlookers watched on in shock as two horses bolted from a Magic Million promotional event on Tuesday morning
The two fleeing horses can be seen crossing sand dunes before heading to the Gold Coast highway
Queensland Police later released a statement saying the horses were safely apprehended and loaded on to floats about a kilometre from their original location
‘All I know is that everyone is okay and the horses sustained no injuries,’ Irvine told Daily Mail Australia, adding that the two horses who bolted the event were not competing in Saturday’s race schedule.
‘They are a couple of retired horses that were just trotting down the beach and somehow managed to get away but they’re both fine, thankfully.’
Irvine also confirmed that Tuesday morning’s beach races was the last on the off-site event promotions in the lead-up to Saturday’s Magic Millions main event at the Gold Coast Turf Club in Southport.
The shocking escape followed another bizarre incident on Saturday when four-year-old mare Princess Lunar got loose from its jockey and jumped in a nearby canal.
It’s understood the horse got away from jockey Tegan Harrison on the way to the start for the Pierata First Yearlings Quality Handicap over 900 metres.
Princess Lunar then broke away, broke through perimeter fencing, crossed a grassy embankment and took a swim in the nearby Nerang River and settled in a canal.
According to reports on JustHorseRacing.net the race day starter – Ken Watson – and barrier attendants swam out to successfully retrieve the mare – a winner of three races in 10 starts.
Princess Lunar was inspected by Racing Queensland vets and given a clean bill of health.
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