Well-behaved Cup punters make most of Ellerslie sunshine
Drunken debauchery is par for the course at Australia’s Melbourne Cup, but across the ditch at our own Ellerslie racecourse, punters were well behaved, making the most of a sunny Auckland day at the races.
About 7000 people attended, dressed in suits and fascinators, to watch local horses race before Irishtrained racehorse Rekindling took home the Melbourne Cup, which was broadcast live.
The crowd roared as the thoroughbreds took off, with Kiwi punters glued to the big screen.
British horse Marmelo had been favourite to win this year, with one Australian betting site offering odds of $6.50 online. It finished ninth. Johannes Vermeer finished second with Max Dynamite third.
For Auckland Racing Club Voss Paul Wilcox, yesterday was his first big event and he said it was a great day.
Wilcox took on the CEO role four months ago.
“We’re delighted with the turnout,” he said.
Wilcox “absolutely” had bets on his favourites, Almandin and the Kiwi-bred Humidor and Cismontane.
He wouldn’t say how much he had riding on them though. “Mum will kill me,” he said.
Ellerslie hospitality manager Craig Fenwick said everyone had been well behaved.
“There’s been no evictions, which is wonderful,” he said.
Kiwi celebrations of the annual race — which stops the Australian nation — were usually pretty tame, he said.
Punters the Herald spoke to were out for a good time, enjoying a light flutter on the horses and a glass or two of bubbles in the sun rather than a huge day out.
Newstalk ZB newsreader Bernadine Oliver Kerby was at the races with a group of friends, putting her “mum duties on hold” for the day.
It was heartening to see so many people off to the races on a week day, she said.
“It’s lovely to see racing’s alive and well.”
No major race day would be
There’s been no evictions, which is wonderful. Craig Fenwick, Ellerslie hospitality manager
complete without a fashion event, and yesterday two winners were crowned from a pool of seven deemed spiffily dressed enough to make the Fashion in the Field finals.
Auckland stylist Kellie Walker and Manurewa barber Qasim Mohammad were the winners on the day, taking home flowers, vouchers and a magnum of champagne.
In a return to tradition, Auckland Racing Club had hired a bugler to announce the start of each of the 10 races throughout the day.
The club believed he was the first bugler hired to play the “call to post” live in 30 years — but urged anyone who can prove otherwise to get in touch.
John McGough, dressed in a top hat and red jacket, was excited to take up the traditional role.
“I’m known as the trumpet guy,” he said.
He plays gigs around the North Island and closed out the Rugby World Cup final in 1987, which was broadcast to three million people.