Punters, celebrities flock to the 2024 Caulfield Cup
Racegoers have packed out Caulfield Racecourse, bringing colour and passion to the Caulfield Cup in an epic day of spring racing.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Ciaron Maher import Duke De Sessa has had his first Australian win in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup.
It was a huge day for trainer Maher, who had earlier claimed The Everest with Bella Nipotina.
It comes after jockey Michael Dee booted home a double in the first half, scoring on contenders for next month’s Victoria Derby and VRC Oaks.
Dee won the Group 3 Sportsbet Classic on Kingofwallstreet for trainer Matt Cumani, the brother of popular English racing personality Francesca Cumani, who will arrive in Melbourne for the remainder of the Spring Racing Carnival in the coming weeks.
Dee backed up his Sportsbet Classic win with victory in the Ethereal Stakes on the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Too Darn Discreet, who raced a touch waywardly in the straight but held on to beat Jenni’s Meadow.
Kingofwallstreet qualified for the Victoria Derby at Flemington on November 2 while Too Darn Discreet will contest the Wakeful Stakes on the same day before a likely run in the VRC Oaks on November 7.
Dee later found himself at the centre of a stewards’ inquiry into an incident in the Listed Alinghi Stakes in which his mount, Expressiveness collided heavily with Isthmus at the 250m.
Punters have been in good form at Caulfield with favourites Too Darn Discreet and Niance winning consecutive races while Lofty Arch has been the longest-priced winner of the day to date at $9.
Crowds bring colour to the track
Better than expected weather conditions have pushed the crowd to nearly 25,000 for the finale to the Melbourne Racing Club’s showpiece carnival.
Friday’s persistent rain gave way to sunny breaks but a gentle breeze kept temperatures about the 18C mark.
Melbourne Racing Club staff said the Caulfield Cup ticket pre-sales were strong, meaning the crowd will continue to build leading up to the $5m Caulfield Cup, which will be run at 5.15pm.
Despite blustery conditions and the threat of rain, racegoers stepped out in style.
Big hats and statement earrings were the standout accessories of the day, along with goosebumps.
Racing fashion took a sophisticated turn with many ladies embracing a hybrid racing/cocktail look.
Guests in Caulfield’s corporate hospitality enclosure, The Avenue, included Lana Wilkinson, Nick and Rozalia Russian, Kris Smith, Josh Daicos, Ruby and Lucy Brownless, Kelly Cooke, Marty and Holly Johns, Sam Wood, Jo Hall and West Coast Eagles star Harley Reid.
Originally published as Punters, celebrities flock to the 2024 Caulfield Cup
’This is a better horse’: Cumani rates his Derby prospect
Trainer Matt Cumani will head to the Victoria Derby confident he can go one better in the race following the win of Kingofwallstreet in the Caulfield Classic.
Discreet firms as Oaks favourite with third straight win
Too Darn Discreet continued her charge towards the VRC Oaks with another win in the Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield.