The cut-off point to qualify for the 2020 Magic Millions Classic looks likely to be at least $50,000 after the first order of entry was released this week.
The 16th qualifier on the list has $29,600 but 14 of the two-year-olds already have $49,000 or more.
Nearly 20 two-year-old races are running in the next five weeks, which will help horses qualify.
Even allowing for the usual attrition rate, it seems the 16 runners in the Classic will need $50,000-plus to qualify.
Five Queensland two-year-olds are among the top 20 horses on the list. Horses trained in Victoria and NSW make up the rest.
Brisbane filly Dusty Tycoon is fourth with $115,000 but the others in the top five are trained in Victoria.
Lady Banff, who is trained by Matt Dunn at Murwillumbah in northern NSW, is No.6.
The major problem facing Queensland is the difference in prize money, with a metropolitan winner earning $42,500.
In Sydney and Melbourne, two-year-old metropolitan winners earn at least $16,000 more and in many cases twice that figure.
A Racing Queensland spokesman said several races of $125,000 had been introduced to help Queensland-trained horses and there were other stakes races in coming weeks.
The current top 20 order of entry for the Classic is:
- Euphoric Summer ($171,500)
- Tanker ($127,500)
- Hard Landing ($121,500)
- Dusty Tycoon ($115,200)
- Tagaloa ($86,750)
- Lady Banff ($84,500)
- Global Quest ($84,000)
- Every Rose ($84,000)
- Time Is Precious ($58,500)
- Gotta Kiss ($57,050)
- Spirit One ($57,050)
- Postcode ($52,400)
- Kavak ($49,100)
- Rathlin ($49,000)
- Strike ($42,700)
- Dark Son ($29,600)
- Stellar Pauline ($29,400)
- Unstoppabelle ($29,000)
- Boom Daddy ($28,400)
- Redoute's Image ($23,000)