A day at the races
Thousands of punters, including a host of Kiwi celebrities, braved the rain to enjoy the Boxing Day races at Ellerslie yesterday. Heavy grey clouds and a stifling humidity hung over the races in the early afternoon before turning to showers about 5pm.
But the spiffily dressed racegoers didn’t let that dampen their spirits, with people making the most of the day and being well behaved — mainly.
Security guard Ken Wolgramm was working his first Boxing Day at the races and said a few people had to be booted out of the venue for drunken behaviour quite early in the day. “But apart from that it looks like everyone’s having a good time,” he said.
Among the famous Kiwis spotted was Riverdale star KJ Apa, who was on the Mumm champagne lawn with his mother Tessa and father Kennetti.
Socialite Sally Ridge and her model daughter Jaime and son Boston were also there as was All Black Jerome Kaino and wife Diana.
Despite the patchy drizzle, the much anticipated Fashions in the Field competition was held as usual, with more than 70 entries.
This year’s best dressed woman winner Aucklander Aleisha Mitchell, 34, mixed things up by making her own outfit — including a matching dress for her baby girl Lola.
Mitchell picked a floral fabric she liked and designed her own twopiece pantsuit for the event — a change from the usual frocks worn by fashions in the field contestants.
“Things have been the same for quite a long time,” she told the Herald. “I loved the idea of doing something a little bit different.”
She also wore a tan tulle wrap flowing from her shoulders down past her knees, pinned on one shoulder with a pale purple flower, and a halo-shaped fascinator designed by milliner Clare Hahn.
Best dressed man was Matt Anderson from Christchurch, who had flown up for the event specially.