Hosting guests in the No. 1 box at Royal Randwick Racecourse is akin to being crowned king for a day. Or queen in the case of Debbie Kepitis, whose racing royalty lines are both historical and current. She’s the daughter of chicken baron and one-time racing heavyweight Bob Ingham. And she’s one of three owners of Australia’s horse of the moment, Winx.

On this February day, Kepitis is welcoming family and friends to the box for a cosy lunch of poached salmon, tender beef fillets and associated accompaniments. She’s wearing the tailor-made black silk suit with large purple flowers that she always dons when Winx races and a fresh streak of purple – her good luck colour – through her hair. Pale hydrangeas bloom in elegant vases on the dining tables, next to small blue-and-white flags marked Go Winx.