Melbourne Cup Day
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Groove City:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HWZ1WIS-mEM
On the first Tuesday in November 2018, we took Acerules and her friend to The Melbourne Cup, at Flemington Racecourse. It is known as the horse “race that stops a nation”, because when the race starts, the whole of Australia puts down whatever they are doing and watches or listens to it. Many locales around the country hold horse, or other types of races, or celebrations of some kind, on that day. Our state of Victoria has a day’s public holiday, (no paid work for most), but when we lived in Sydney, many would stop work either for the afternoon, or during the race. This was not penalised. In recent years, foreign horses have been allowed to join the race, which has given it international interest.
My hubby is not from this state originally, and Acerules was born elsewhere too, so I always said I would take them to the actual Melbourne Cup as it is a unique experience. I bought tickets from Ticketek, going to our local regional city to buy them, but which made getting in quick and easy. Our picnic bags were searched at the entry for alcohol, however. A metal detector was waved over us.
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We had a very early start to catch public transport from our rural town. On that day it poured raining, breaking some records for Cup Day. We stayed in the city under cover for a couple of hours while we had morning tea, I made chicken wraps and the kids watched television. I bought us all small racing bets, almost the only time that I bet during the year, usually, unless it is on small local town fundraising raffles. Here is my little bet “each way” on the favourite, Yucatan, an English horse well used to rainy conditions:
The rain cleared up as we neared the racetrack on the train, with lots of other passengers all dressed up in their special race clothes. Most wear nice clothes , shoes and hats, to The Cup, unless they are wearing a crazy costume. Here is my outfit, photograph taken when I got home:
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The silky satiny, fully lined dress was only $6 au from an op (thrift) shop, the cardigan was $20 au, on sale at Rockman’s, the “blush” boater hat (a style just coming into fashion) was $15 au unadorned, from Target, a bunch of 5 artificial flowers was under $2 au from a bargain (dollar) shop, and I bought two tubes of paint and some brushes. Acerules painted on three of the flowers to match the hat and dress, I pinned two to the hat and one to hubby’s lapel. I was going to wear black sandals, but changed due to the heavy rain, to flat “Mary Janes”, I was glad later when we had to walk through mud near the track. It is not wise to wear stilettos. Acerules wore espadrilles. Hubby wore his sneakers! I wasn’t happy about that until we were walking in the mud later.
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He also tied his tie too high, and I told him he should do a Donald Trump with it! Men usually wear a yellow rose on Melbourne Cup Day. During the Spring racing carnival there are different rose colours for different days. However, him being different wearing pink among tens of thousands of men, was a good thing later when he got lost! and I had to leave his description with the authorities. It worked, and they passed on my message.
Acerules wore a black, lined dress with puffed sleeves in lace, a lined little jacket in chiffon, and carried a black trench coat for rain. She had a decorative grey “fascinator” hat ready to wear, but swapped it for her father’s grey felt hat due to the forecasted heavy rain. She pinned on a burgundy floral hair ornament.
Here are some general pictures I took on the day.
These were in an area of the Flemington race precinct called “The Park” which was not exclusive like the members’ areas, but a bit refined with lots of security, and out of the mud. Myer is a large department store chain. Big screens around the site showed the races:
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Every year since the mid 1960s, there has been a competition called Fashions on the Field. Winners are featured in the media. While we were there they were judging the men:
This lady kindly posed for my blog, isn’t she beautiful?
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Emmanuella and Tim performers:
TAB are a betting company. I was very sad that Acerules refused to get up on the green horse. She would have loved to do so in the past:
Blocky heels were everywhere, better to walk on grass:
Long, trousered “playsuits” too, were very popular:
A game on the lawn:
Acerules followed by her friend in his lovely grey suit:
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Another activity in “The Park”:
I think Degas could have made a sculpture out of this:
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I took lots of photos of other people on their cameras also, posing them in quirky ways, as I like to do. They always seem happy with the result.
Our group having our picnic, of chicken wraps and salads. We took nearly all of our food with us, as we eat four or five meals on a trip to the city, not returning until late.
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There was live music on two stages that we saw. This band hark back to the 1970s disco style proudly. They provided a party atmosphere for our lunch.
One of their videos is up the top of this post, they are called Groove City:
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Everyone has that one friend:
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It was getting close to Melbourne Cup race time so we looked for a way to the track. I used to attend, dressed up to the nines, in my twenties and early thirties, but they have built more structures since then. A non-members stand:
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A members stand on the left. Those large rose sculptures are scattered around the site, as the rose gardens at the track are lush and justly famous.
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Unfortunately a bit battered by the heavy rain earlier:
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We walked along muddy tracks in the lawn, to a spot in the crowd. Contrary to what the media would have us believe, I saw no drunken behaviour, and this was 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The photos they take of people the worse for wear, are at the end, after the last race. Well, that could be any public event or venue where there is alcohol available. It pains me that the media is sending those misleading images around the world, when the day is such a nice one in reality, and the race committee organise pleasant entertainments besides drinking and betting.
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We could have gone to see the horses led around , but none of us felt like navigating on the muddy track. It is on the live screen shown here:
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Lots of selfies were taken that day. Hubby said he liked the socks of the gentleman on the right. He doesn’t like the no socks look on men. Well, I don’t like hubby wearing sneakers with a suit and a short tie , each to their own, I suppose!
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I dubbed this blonde lady the “World’s tallest woman with a hat”:
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The horses lined up in the barrier for The Melbourne Cup:
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“And they’re off and racing”. Amazing how many had their phones pointing at the screen for the whole race. It would be funny to see that photographed by a drone from above. Many times helicopters flew overhead. A roar built up from the crowd.
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Unfortunately the four horses we had picked did not “place” (win first to third). Considering the jockeys that won first and second were fined for various breaches of the rules, including excessive whipping, there is something wrong there. As someone said, in most other sports, they would be disqualified for that. A horse also died during the race. The poor animal broke it’s shoulder early while running, and was euthanised as soon as the vet saw the “catastrophic” injury. There was an outcry. Many people are now calling for delays on younger horses racing until their bones are fully mature. I signed a petition for whipping to be banned, too, as so many jockeys break the rule on how many times the whip can be used.
What do I think of racing?
* I think that horses love to run. However, there should be no cruelty involved, of horses or jockeys, whatsoever.
*I think that many people bet to excess. Some obscene amounts are lost during that week of racing every year.
*We saw so many staff throughout the racecourse, and at the railway, not counting the ones behind the scenes: in kitchens, weighing rooms, milliners studios, etc., that this is obviously an industry that is a very big employer, which is good.
* For many people, a special day like this is a respite from their duties and worries, a chance to dress up and be a lady or gentleman for a day, or just enjoy themselves, like I did, people watching.
We wended our way home again, losing hubby on the way , on the muddy track, and finding him at the main city railway station some time later. I am grateful to the staff of the racecourse and the railway station that helped with that. As I say, there are lots of crucial people behind the scenes of any great event. Two security guards, earlier, had told me they had been drenched in the rain all morning, from 8 am. Jockeys rode with their boots full of water. So, (raising my glass of soft drink), here’s a toast to the beautiful thoroughbreds , both equine and those in their pretty hats, and also to the amazing professionals that made our happy outing possible.
Fashions:
The standout spring racing fashion trends from Melbourne Cup 2018 - Daily Mail
https://apple.news/ABpbTcXAvQsScO0AbmofS2g
Groove City:
https://m.facebook.com/notes/groove-city/groove-city/1761926793838684/
'No horse deserves to die for gambling': Melbourne Cup costs Irish stayer its life - ABC News
9 comments:
I am so very sorry about the death of the horse. I think we need to look very carefully at the way racing treats the creatures that are its stars.
But not to ignore what a lovely, cheerful day it must have been for the most part. So much colour, so many smiles. A time for Melbourne to celebrate being Melbourne. My favourite pic is the one of Acerules and her friend sitting together.
Cute, aren’t they?
I've never been to the horse races and apart from Kentucky Derby, I'm not even sure they are dress up affairs here. I don't even know about that one. It's fun to see everyone in their finery!
Thanks for commenting, Jeanie. My Florida friend tells me that in the South they wear lovely big hats.
Cath, wow this was a fun and interesting day. I enjoyed seeing the fashions. I have never been to a horse race, but the Kentucky Derby is Southern thru and thru with mint juleps and stunning ladies dressed to the 9’s with great big hats.
A family friend (hubby's) has run race horses and even though he weighs close to 180kg, has ridden his own horse a few times so a 'race' has had enough entries to be run...
The lady in pink is definitely a personage...
The death of that horse is a great loss. No matter the circumstances.
I have so learned at the track to set a certain amount and when I hit that QUIT.
So who is the mystery man that is linked to Acerules? Inquiring minds are curious... looks like a decent sort.
Thankyou for commenting, Pam and Yarnaholic. Kentucky Derby sounds like a great day out. I could really like the South, except for the spicy foods, they don’t like me, unfortunately! I’d have to go plain. Big hats I’ve worn all my life, so I don’t have many wrinkles from the sun. From stress, there are a few.
He’s a very nice boy, I was glad to meet him and he wrote a very well worded, lovely Thankyou note. I got his and his father’s permission to put him on the blog.
Great post filled with so much eye candy!!
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Thankyou, Debbie! I’m moving my blog , see my December post here for the link.
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