Cowboys Jonathan Thurston and Gavin Cooper join punters at Gold Coast Turf Club’s Cup Day

FOOTY’S favourite face, Jonathan Thurston, slipped in and out of the turf club relatively unnoticed as a smaller but very well behaved crowd enjoyed the Gold Coast Turf Club’s Melbourne Cup celebrations.

FOOTY’S favourite face, Jonathan Thurston, slipped in and out of the turf club relatively unnoticed as a smaller but very well behaved crowd enjoyed the Gold Coast Turf Club’s Melbourne Cup celebrations.

Thurston came to town with one-time Gold Coast Titan turned North Queensland Cowboy Gavin Cooper to catch up with friends in the Members’ equivalent of a royal balcony.

North Queensland Cowboys Gavin Cooper and Johnathan Thurston at the Gold Coast Turf Club. Picture Mike Batterham

The 25-punter Skyline Mezzanine, with its own screen in a box overlooking the track, was bagsed by concrete company Hymix last year and is already spoken for come next Cup.

The towering Cooper showed off the kind of people skills that no doubt helped earn him the Cowboys’ 2011 Person of the Year as he watched over his teammate.

Maxim Follari, 7, and his dad Matt Follari made the trip from Ormeau Hills. Picture: Mike Batterham

Chief lifeguard Warren Young and his wife were delighted debutants in The Dome after a late call up from “friends who ended up with spare tickets”.

Fellow diners had to double take to be sure the dapper man in the suit was that same guy they see on TV standing on a beach wearing a lot less.

Tourism, Major Events and Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates. Picture Mike Batterham

Former councillor Eddy Sarroff and his daughter Emily Jane, 19, were part of this year’s very tidy and smartly dressed general admission throng.

Ray Stevens put his head into the Directors’ Lounge, where Bruce Flegg spent the day, before heading upstairs to dine.

“It’s important to be here because there are lots of Mermaid Beach constituents here,” State MP Stevens said.

Eddy Sarroff and his daughter Emily Jane at Aquis Park. Picture: Mike Batterham

Lounge guest David Crisafulli is yet to learn Gold Coast Turf Club chairman Brett Cook no longer lives in the Broadwater electorate he is working overtime to retain for the LNP.

Mr Cook now lives on John Paul Langbroek’s patch but TSS old boy and turf club treasurer Trent Watson’s still in Crisafulli’s reach.

Mitch Thorne and Grace Coorey at Aquis Park. Picture Mike Batterham

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Crisafulli seemed restless, not his usual gregarious self. As things turned out, indeed he was.

Crisafulli was pacing ahead of his 2pm barrier draw — sorry, ballot draw.

“I’ve got to be at Runaway Bay at 2pm,” he said.

LNP candidate for Broadwater David Crisafulli and Gold Coast Turf Club chairman Brett Cook. Picture Mike Batterham

CEO Steve Lines had a $10 each way win on Rekindling and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates had $10 on the win.

Lines deserves honours for the club’s new gamechanging item of Aquis Park-branded merch — the silver ballet slippers. Forget the Golden Slipper — these $25 must-haves for well-heeled ladies in pain will be copied at tracks from here to Timbuktu.

Gold Coast Turf Club members Rebecca Mercieca and Kristy Bath arrived early to claim their favourite table. Picture Mike Batterham

It’s not quite Timbuktu, but turf club deputy chairman Arch McDonald and his wife drove from Bagarra Beach to spend Cup Day in the heart of Paradise.

Tourism, Major Events and Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones braved the M1 for her day at our races with Deputy Mayor and turf club director Gates.

There’s no disguising the fact Gates rates Kate.

Look — no socks! Ben Hannant at the Gold oast Turf Club’s Event Centre Party. Picture Mike Batterham

A sold-out but very different to last year’s day-clubber-vibed crowd mixed and mingled in the Convention Centre with a sockless Ben Hannatt and his Sea FM homies and Fashions on the Field judges Heather Maltman and Bella Frizzer.

Nicole Senese won Fashions on the Field’s Women’s Classic Race Wear category, with runner-up Karen Robson.

Tina Linton pipped Effie Cliff for Best Head Wear in a feather and beads head-turner handcrafted for her by “my friend Angel”. Picture: Mike Batterham

Tina Linton pipped Effie Cliff for Best Head Wear and Stacey Hargreaves edged out Tennille Fawlkner in the Women’s Gold Coast Style category.

Ross Newick won the Male Classic Race Wear section ahead of Mitchell Clough and Peter Browning topped the Best Male Style category ahead of Ron Robson. The title of Best Dressed Couple went to Brittany Baldwin and Mitchell Clough.

The most relaxed little man at the track — six-week-old Cooper Power and proud mum and dad Jay and Lynne Power. Picture: Mike Batterham

The day’s only sour note came when the most relaxed looking guy on track, Cooper Power, was ripped off in the Best Novelty Socks Category.

Surely the youngest entrant in the contest’s history, the six-week-old Gold Coast baby was resplendent in a suit-and-tie suit and socks that looked like shoes.

Alexa Blake of Surfers Paradise with a pair of the new $25 feet-saving Aquis Park-branded silver slippers. Picture Mike Batterham

Cooper’s parents, Lynne and Jay Power, and his proud grandmothers — Fiona Colling, Lynne’s mum visiting from England, and Leanne Power — spent the day showing him off and around in GA (general admission).

We’re still trying to figure out how winner Dwain Evans’ bobby dazzlers and runner-up Jack Furner’s socks beat Cooper’s happy feet.

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