At least one Newcastle punter went home a few thousand dollars richer today, but for many hitting the town for Melbourne Cup Day it wasn’t about the winnings.
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“Hats, pretty clothes and champagne, baby, that’s what it’s all about,” Edgeworth’s Maxine Longworth said while enjoying an annual celebration with friends at The Landing Bar and Kitchen in Honeysuckle.
Lambton’s Kayla Dobell took the day’s sartorial focus to the next level, handcrafting a miniature Flemington Racecourse to sit on her head.
“I was very slack, I was putting the finishing touches on it this morning,” she said.
Read more: Cross Counter wins the 2018 Melbourne Cup
“I realised the barricades at Flemington are all white, so I had to paint the popsicle sticks.”
The fascinator, made with fake grass, netting and model animals, was an improvement on last year’s, she said, when she used real turf in the design.
“I try to put the effort in because it’s a good day,” she said.
Seated in front of multiple screens in the Queens Wharf Hotel’s betting area, Mitch Williams from Merewether reaped results from his own designs.
Clocking up $2000 in winnings, $450 on a single race, he said the best strategy for race day was preparation.
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“I just study,” he said.
It was more commiserations than celebrations for those watching the Melbourne Cup race on the hotel’s deck.
But unlucky punters were not the only ones who expressed dismay at Cross Counter’s win.
A pony, stationed at the Honeysuckle Hotel, waited until the major race to leave “a gift” for guests.
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