Rear Window

Inside the Birdcage at Flemington’s Derby Day

With Tabcorp focusing on customers and Lexus on models, Crown’s marquee reigned supreme as the best people-spotting location of the day.

Myriam Robin, Zoe Samios and Patrick Durkin

Nov 3, 2024 – 11.31am

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Derby Day at Flemington Racecourse dawned bright and clear. The vibes were on point. The races: dramatic. The billionaires? For the most part, elsewhere.

As the name suggests, Flemington’s Birdcage is an enclosure constructed for the ogling of beautiful people. And every year, we seem to spot more of them and fewer of the corporate heavy-weights who recently gave the day its moneyed heft.

Myriam Robin is a senior writer based in the Melbourne newsroom. She has previously been a Rear Window columnist and editor, and before that reported on financial markets and media.

Zoe Samios covers wagering and the business of sport from the AFR's Sydney newsroom. She was previously the media and telecommunications reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and covered media at The Australian.

Patrick Durkin is Melbourne bureau chief and BOSS deputy editor. He writes on news, business and leadership.