Hugh Buchanan and Bandit eyeing off QOTT Cup Final heist
By Andrew Smith
The Magic Millions Polo and Showjumping Day has become one of the must-do events on the annual showjumping calendar.
That is the opinion of rider Hugh Buchanan who will head into Sunday’s Queensland Off-The-Track Cup Final with It’s Bandito on the Gold Coast.
Twenty competitors from across the country will line up in the final at Doug Jennings Park at The Spit, with a starting height of 1.05m.
The horse-and-rider combinations earned their spots through qualifiers held in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia throughout 2025.
They will also be joined by four celebrity wildcard riders – the King’s niece and former Olympian Zara Tindall, Group 1-winning trainer Annabel Archibald and jockey Rachel King, and Sky News presenter Ally Mosley.
The Sunshine State will be strongly represented with ten entrants, along with four each fromn NSW and Victoria, and two from South Australia.
Buchanan is the husband of QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer Gemma Creighton, who will also take part in the Senior Teams Showjumping event on Sunday.
He said the end-of-year preparations for It’s Bandito and Creighton’s horse Dada Des Brimbelles Z had been deliberately catered towards the showjumping extravaganza.
“With our main horses, we purposely didn't go and do the last World Cup event in Sydney at the end of last year, because we wanted to give our horses the break,” Buchanan said.
“We wanted to aim towards Magic Millions, so we gave them time off in November and a little bit through December, so we could bring our main horses back for this Magic Millions event.
“People get right behind it, and everyone looks forward to it all year, and everybody talks about it in the horse community throughout the year.”
Buchanan and retired thoroughbred It’s Bandito booked their spot in the QOTT Cup Final after finishing third in the Queensland qualifying event at Caboolture last June.
Top spot for that event was taken out by Nicolas Gillard and Red Right Out.
The field for Sunday’s final also includes QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer Danielle Hess (Lockheed Lightning) and Kylie Zabel (Maverick 3MC), while Archibald will be on board Zaaki, who she trained to the 2021 Doomben Cup victory.
Buchanan and “Bandit” finished 7th in last year’s QOTT Cup Final, but the rider said his confidence was high after the pair took out the QOTT Showjumping Showcase 105cm class at the 2025 Ekka.
“We had a fantastic day at the Ekka there, I couldn’t have asked him to go any better,” Buchanan said.
“We went out and had a crack in the jump off and blitzed them which we were pretty excited about on the day, and it’s still pretty exciting to think back on now.
“We're going to have to have our game faces on to do our best and try and put a good performance on the board especially to make the jump off, and then the real competition starts.
“It's going to be a good competition, and we’re going to have to have our wits about us to have a good go.”
The husband-and-wife team acquired the 15-year-old bay gelding from Linda and Graham Huddy at Peachester Lodge around eight years ago.
Under the care of champion trainer Tony Gollan, Irish Bandit last raced in 2016, having notched one win and three minor placings from nine starts on the track.
Buchanan said that the thoroughbred had since excelled in his new life in the showjumping arena.
“Tony reckons he wouldn't jump, because he goes pretty sideways a fair bit and he's a bit crooked,” Buchanan said with a laugh.
“We took him to Adelaide Royal when he was a bit younger, but he’s still doing the job now.
“He's been a really good horse to me - even in the last year he's won four rugs and every year he's won a heap of competitions along the way.”
There is even more incentive for competitors in this year’s QOTT Cup Final with the prize money pool increasing to $100,000.
With prize money being paid all the way down to 20th place, Buchanan believed the increase would help to attract more quality competition in the future.
“It’s huge, it's unbelievable - we're super excited and we will be in it to have a crack because it's worth good money,” Buchanan said.
“Even last year was phenomenal money - I got a decent place last year, and picked up $4000 so that was a pretty good day.
“I think it's a great thing because you see now how many more people are getting thoroughbreds again just to be in that competition.
“It gets it into the spotlight for the Brisbane and Gold Coast racing people and it’s a good step forward for us in showjumping, it works really well.”
RQ Senior Animal Care Manager Kim Duffy said she was excited to see the return of the QOTT Cup Final at the Magic Millions Polo and Showjumping.
“The QOTT Program is incredibly proud to partner with Magic Millions to present the QOTT Cup Final,” she said.
“This year marks the third running of this exceptional event, which continues to showcase the versatility, athleticism, and adaptability of retired racehorses.
“Driving demand for retired racehorses in alternative careers in their post-racing lives is a key principle underpinning the QOTT Program, with premium event partnerships like Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo and Showjumping complimenting the support available for all disciplines and levels of competition through the QOTT Event Sponsorship Program.
“Over the past four years, the QOTT Program has launched ten major initiatives to support racehorse aftercare in Queensland.
“The QOTT Cup Final is a proud showcase of the QOTT Program and our commitment to supporting the equestrian community, who play a major role in caring for retired racehorses for the duration of their post-racing lives.”
Click here to see the full field for the QOTT Cup Final.
