LAST-MINUTE PLACES TO PARTY AND FASHION ADVICE

The Gold Coast gees up for the race that stops the nation as keenly as the rest of Australia – but as the bars and turf club get ready for packed venues, city GPs are bracing for the fallout

THE Gold Coast Turf Club and hospitality hotspots are preparing for a packed out Melbourne Cup today – as GPs brace for the fallout tomorrow.

Bosses at the city’s race course at Bundall are expecting 7000 to 8000 punters through the gates for the race that stops the nation.

Turf Club CEO Steve Lines said it was typically the venue’s second-most popular event of the year after the Magic Millions Yearling Sales race day in January.

A turf club ticket will be among the best bets for patrons who have left their Cup day planning to the last minute. Functions at many bar and restaurants across the city are booked out.

Mr Lines said the turf club’s Events Centre area with capacity for 800 already had bookings nearing 700 by yesterday.

Its VIP Dome marquee trackside had sold out its 400 spaces and hundreds of corporate tickets had also presold, he said.

About 2000 corporate tickets had sold already on top of 500 general admission presales.

“500 general already tells me we will do at least a couple of thousand there too. At the end of the day it is Australian culture,” Mr Lines said.

“Every year there are about 700,000 people Australia-wide (on Cup day) going to races somewhere whether it’s in the Gold Coast or Townsville – people go to their race track and it’s the only place in the world you get 700,000 people going to the races on the same day.”

But despite the rosy numbers, the Gold Coast Medical Association immediate past president Dr Sonu Haikerwal said she would urge attendees

to moderate their alcohol intake and betting.

The GP and owner of Haan Health medical centre in Broadbeach said Melbourne Cup day was well known among her profession for sparking a flurry of appointments the following day.

“We are busier the next day with people who have drunk too much or lost too much money,” she said.

“It can be a difficult time for people. There is so much peer pressure and pretence and our celebrations these days have become more revolving around alcohol and gambling.

“Moderation is best, stay safe and realise there are limits.”

Cup day itself was more likely to result in missed appointments, she said.

“People often just don’t turn up. We get a lot of ‘Did Not Attends’ – especially in the afternoon but we know it’s Melbourne Cup day and they have just forgotten.”

Right across the city – venues from RSLs and surf clubs to dive bars and swanky barrestaurants are putting on Melbourne Cup celebrations.

The range from Nineteen at the Star’s $150-a-head lunch package which has attracted high-profile VIPs to free entry at Surfers Paradise pub Beer Garden where a staffer dubbed it the “bogan Melbourne Cup”.

Beer Garden will have extra TVs, a band after the big race and pig on the spit.

Southport Sharks had limited tickets and was close to selling out, a spokesman said.

“The Shark event centre is close to capacity,” he added.

The Cup day bonanza comes after a time of turmoil in the thoroughbred racing when strikes threatened to continue.

The Queensland Government ended the ugly stand-off by promising to inject $26 million into prizemoney for provincial meets. Thoroughbred racing was seething at a Government snub to pour $70 million from a 15 per cent tax into infrastructure for harness and greyhound racing, a loan writeoff and Ubet tax payments.

Mr Lines: “We were right behind the industry, something had to be done. The club position was we totally supported the action. If nothing was done, the industry would have been on its knees.”