‘I’m soaking it in, it is really fun’: Matt Damon at Derby Day

Hollywood star Matt Damon has brought a touch of star power to Flemington’s Birdcage, revealing he attended Derby Day as “a lark” and “to do something crazy”.

Movie superstar Matt Damon has described attending the Victoria Derby as a “once in a lifetime experience” and said Australia had become a second home to him and his family.

Damon and his wife Luci flew in from the US to join close friends, KIIS FM breakfast host Lauren Phillips and her fiance, aviation boss Paul O’Brien, as guests at the Lexus Marquee in the Flemington Birdcage on Saturday.

Matt Damon watches the running of the Victoria Derby from the Birdcage. Picture: Craig Hughes

Damon enjoyed the view from Level one of Lexus in the Birdcage. Picture: Craig Hughes

Damon necks a beer at Flemington. Picture: Craig Hughes

The quartet was joined in the luxury car maker’s exclusive enclosure by Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell and his wife, former Home and Away star Pia Miller, Elsa Pataky, Billy and Nicole Slater, Daniel MacPherson, Nina O’Brien, Lucy Nettlefold, and Alan and Suzy Eskander in what was a celebrity gathering unlike the Birdcage has seen in years.

The Birdcage was abuzz with the shine radiating from their celebrity star power.

For Damon, the day at the races was a plan hatched six months ago.

“It was kind of on a lark and just a group of us started talking about it six months ago and we decided to do something crazy and come,” he said.

“Getting older, and (as) life takes a more serious turn, you start to really think about enjoying every moment and every day, so it is crazy trip, but Luci and I decided to go for it.”

“This is really quick trip.”

Damon said he was impressed by the Birdcage, Flemington’s famous corporate enclave.

“I am soaking it in, it is really fun,” he said.

“First of all I cannot believe these things (marquees) are built for this, this is a substantial home we are in, it is massive, I can’t believe they put it up and put it down every year.

“It is a once in a lifetime experience that I hope to have next year as well.”

Matt Damon, Elsa Pataky and Luciana Barroso were among celebrity guests of Lexus. Picture: Supplied

Daniel MacPherson and Matt Damon enjoy fine company. Picture: Supplied

Damon said Australia was like a second home for him and his wife and they were making the most of their whistle stop visit.

“We had a huge bunch of breakfast, lunches and dinners with our friends, because we have so many friends here, we come here constantly, as much as we can,” he said.

“It is like a second home for us so it was about cramming as much as we could into a very short amount of time.”

He said he would love to film in Melbourne should the right project come up.

“I would love to. We were walking around Melbourne and my wife was like ‘why can’t you get a job here?’ and I was like ‘that is not how it works’.”

Partial to a day at the races he said he relied on friends for race tips.

“I have a lot of fun, but I have friends who know a lot more than me,” he said.

“We all just kind of back the same horses and then I basically yell at the television, that is my contribution.”

Early on Derby Day Damon was yet to find a winner but had not given up hope.

“We are 0 for 2, but we are having a really good time. We might have stumbled out of the gate, but it is about how you finish,” he said.