Melbourne Cup: A gathering of women in power and style

WHETHER in the Birdcage or general admission, the omens were there early that this was to be the real Ladies’ Day of the Melbourne spring racing carnival.

Nick TabakoffEditor-at-Large

2 min read

November 4, 2015 - 12:00AM

Melbourne Cup

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LADIES Day was not meant to happen until Thursday’s Oaks Day meeting at Flemington.

But whether in the Birdcage, the media or general admission at Flemington, the omens were there early that this was to be the real Ladies’ Day of the Melbourne spring racing carnival.

In the Birdcage it quickly became clear women were the focus. Your correspondent was granted an audience with the late Princess Diana’s niece, Lady Kitty Spencer, international guest of honour of major sponsor Emirates and the Victoria Racing Club.

It was soon apparent that Lady Kitty was no ordinary international socialite. Her ambition is to be involved in charities, with her current passion a “military charity”, and a university degree in “politics and psychology”.

Definitely not your average British blue blood. And there was another surprise: despite her impeccable English heritage, as second child of Princess Di’s brother, Earl Spencer, her accent was all South African, having spent most of her childhood there.

Everywhere you looked in the Birdcage there were power women with handsome men on their arm. Deputy Liberal Leader and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (in navy) was there with her property investor boyfriend David Panton.

Francesca Packer was in all white with her new beau, Kelli Holland, another who works in property development. And boosting the power women quotient, at Emirates with Francesca was her mum Gretel Packer (in a red ensemble) and grandmother Ros Packer.

Asked what she thought about her brother James Packer’s new $4.5 billion casino investment at Studio City in Macau, Gretel said the pay-off might take some time, but was “very exciting”.

She confirmed she had a stake in the new casino’s success after the recent settlement of the family’s financial affairs.

But, more than that: “I want to see my brother do well.”

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Jennifer Hawkins / Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

Jennifer Hawkins / Picture: Alex Coppel

Another power woman, Qantas corporate affairs boss Olivia Wirth was there in all white with husband, former union boss Paul Howes, back at the scene of where they came out publicly four years ago. Megan Gale strode the Lavazza tent in green, and Jen Hawkins held court at Myer in yellow.

But the real power woman of the day was nowhere near the Birdcage, and wore colours not to be seen in the fashions on the field.

Indeed, she was one of the few people working, wearing mauve and white checks, green sleeves and matching green cap, riding an outsider called Prince of Penzance.

Michelle Payne, first female rider of a Melbourne Cup winner, take a bow.