Melbourne Cup 2020: Kate Waterhouse to watch races with family at home

With punters not allowed trackside at this year’s Melbourne Cup, racing royalty Kate Waterhouse will be pushing ahead with celebrations at home, watching the race that stops the nation with family and friends.

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Kate Waterhouse has not missed a Melbourne Cup Carnival trackside in nearly two decades.

Like many of us though, the daughter of Australian racing royalty Gai Waterhouse will watch the race that stops the nation from the comfort of her own home due to coronavirus restrictions.

“It is the first time since I was 18 that I haven’t been at Flemington for Melbourne Cup Carnival,” Waterhouse told The Daily Telegraph.

Kate Waterhouse at Vaucluse House, today, ahead of The Melbourne Cup. Picture:Justin Lloyd

“I will be watching the race with my friends, celebrating the day. People are more excited than ever about racing because of the year we have had. They are excited to get dressed up and be social again. It has been reimagined this year so people are looking at ways of bringing the Melbourne Cup into our living rooms to enjoy it together that way.”

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While Derby Day will be held at Melbourne’s Flemington on Saturday as a lead-in to the Melbourne Cup race at 3pm next Tuesday. Sydney-siders meanwhile can enjoy Golden Eagle Day at Rosehill on Saturday.

Waterhouse noted that watching from home doesn’t preclude punters from going all out in the fashion stakes. Traditional racing rules however, could be relaxed a little.

Gai and Kate Waterhouse pictured at Gai's stables in Sydney with the 2020 Lexus Melbourne Cup and horse, Our Castaway. Picture: David Swift

Kate Waterhouse poses for a photograph in the Lexus marquee, during the Lexus Melbourne Cup Day, as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Tuesday, November 6, 2018. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

“I will be dressing up, bringing a bit of that trackside glamour from The Birdcage to my home,” the 36-year-old Lexus ambassador said. “I am going to go bold with a bit of colour but I won’t feel so bad if I slip off the shoes at the end of the day, that is a definite no no to do at a racetrack but you can do that when you are watching it from home.”

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