Grant Hunt, Off to the Races (DOCO 2021)

Every January on the Gold Coast. thoroughbred racing enthusiasts from all over the world gather to assess the latest horse talent in what is called the Magic Millions. Before the auction hammer starts to rise and fall, the barrier draw is conducted on Surfers Paradise beach. Apart from allocating barriers for the next Saturday's big race, the festivities include a number of beach sprints so that potential buyers can assess form. From well before 6am, the crowd starts to gather for the first race at 6.20am. The trumpeter, resplendent in top hat and tails, signals "first call" with a piercing trumpet fanfare. The attendants escort the horses and jockeys onto the "track" for a rather informal start, and all of a sudden, they're racing. After the race, the jockeys take their mounts out through the surf for a relaxing saunter back to the starting line. All rather a bit surreal considering how much money is at stake when the real action starts.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.