By Luke Voogt
The colour, fashion and fascinators of the spring racing carnival were on display as locals celebrated the Melbourne Cup outdoors across Geelong on Tuesday.
Piano Bar part-owner Wendy Maloney was thrilled to see most of the 70 people at Geelong Racecourse fully decked out for ‘the race that stops the nation’.
“Everyone was enjoying the nice weather and a glass of wine, listening to the music and getting excited for the Melbourne Cup,” she said.
“They said it was fabulous and they just loved it.”
She described the crowd, the maximum under current COVID-19 restrictions, as a good result given most locals normally take the Geelong Cup off instead.
More than 50 people attended a similar event at Truffleduck in Fyansford, according to commercial director Deb Nash.
Irish gelding Twilight Payment won the big race with fellow internationals Tiger Moth and Prince of Arran coming second and third respectively.
COVID-19 restrictions banned the usual crowds of about 100,000 from attending this year.
One of the pre-race favourites, Anthony Van Dyck, was put down after breaking down with 500m remaining in the race.
Racing Victoria confirmed the five-year-old Irish stallion was euthanised after sustaining a fractured fetlock.
The organisation extended its sympathies to the horse’s owners, trainer Aidan O’Brien and staff who “cared for the horse and are greatly saddened by their loss”.
Member for Western Victoria Andy Meddick said he was “sickened” by the death and that “Melbourne Cup is beginning to feel like Groundhog Day” with seven horse deaths in seven years.
“A racehorse dies every three days on Australian racetracks,” the Animal Justice MP said.
“The only difference is on Melbourne Cup day, the whole country is watching. No animal deserves to die or be injured for gambling profits.”
