Excited punters return to Melbourne venues in time for Cup Day celebrations
Owners of Melbourne Cup winning horse Twilight Payment have gathered to toast a win “beyond expectations” as revellers made a COVID-safe return to Melbourne’s favourite hot spots for the race that stops the nation.
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Merry Victorians have embarked on a Cup Day bash like no other in a multimillion-dollar economic pick-me-up.
Pubs and restaurants were booked out, beaches buzzing and parks packed as fans freed from lockdown marked racing’s biggest day any way they could.
Punters wagered $100 million on the Cup with the TAB alone, while more than one million Australians placed a record number of bets with Sportsbet.
About 1000 people perched on picnic rugs and camping chairs at Footscray Park overlooking Flemington Racecourse to get a glimpse of the race.
Many huddled over laptops and mobile phones as the starting gates opened.
Footscray couple Kim and Robert Kerr said they’d celebrated the race trackside for the past six years but were more than happy to spend this year on the other side of the Maribyrnong River.
“It’s good to embrace the day in the current circumstances. We are making the most of it,” Ms Kerr said.
Alysha Kelly and boyfriend Sam Abela, from Sunshine, whipped out their binoculars to see the Cup from afar.
Normally they would be watching from the Murray River but decided the park was the second best option with regional travel restrictions still in place.
“It’s good up on the hill overlooking the track. Everyone would be a lot safer here than on the track,” Mr Abela said.
Thousands of people — many failing to wear masks — crammed beaches but were otherwise well behaved, with police and council officers monitoring St Kilda foreshore and private security used to manage queues at public toilets.
Further along the bay Half Moon Bay was so busy by 11.30am the local council advised people to go elsewhere.
Many beachgoers weren’t wearing masks despite pleas to cover up if they weren’t swimming.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive officer Paul Guerra said demand at pubs and restaurants was so great operators, including those in the city centre, were turning away customers.
“Victorians have done it tough — and to see them come out on mass is just brilliant,’’ Mr Guerra said.
“It’s normally the race that stops the nation. Let’s hope today it’s both — the race that starts the nation and certainly the race that starts Victoria.
“All the people I’ve spoken to have reported that there are just people everywhere but importantly they’re staying COVIDSafe as well.
“That the hospitality venues are turning people away tells me that people have embraced the opportunity to get out and about.”
Australian Hotels Association president David Canny said the Melbourne Cup was the shot in the arm battling publicans needed.
“It’s fantastic — they are up and about,’’ Mr Canny said.
“While this is not a money-making exercise with the numbers we’re able to do it’s certainly a start and we’re getting the cogs turning.
“There’s certainly been an overwhelmingly positive response from the public.
“While capacity is still fairly low demand is very, very high.”
Restaurant and Catering Australia chief executive officer Wes Lambert — representing about 13,000 cafes, restaurants and event companies statewide — said: “There has been super-strong demand for today.’’
“There certainly will be a spike in the trendline of restaurants,’’ Mr Lambert said.
“They are telling us they are fully booked.
“It certainly will be a beginning to the restart of the economy.
“The fact we reopened just before Melbourne Cup is a boon for hospitality businesses.’’
Carlton & United Breweries group general manager of corporate affairs Julian Sheezel said the festivities had its Abbotsford brewery in overdrive.
“Thousands and thousands of kegs have left Abbotsford in recent days to help Victorians celebrate the Cup with fresh beer,’’ Mr Sheezel said.
“For most Melburnians it’s been a long time between drinks at the pub.”
Jamie Clarke, watching the race at the Duke of Wellington pub in the city, said it was good to finally enjoy a drink with mates.
“We’re so happy to get out. It’s great to be here with 50 people instead of staying home. We’ve been looking forward to it,’’ Mr Clarke said.
Every available seat at Windsor pub The Wolf and I was taken as customers scrambled to celebrate.
“Everyone is keen to have a drink and enjoy the sun, it’s been a long time coming,’’ manager James Hobbs said.
Mr Hobbs said most bars were well prepared for the Cup, although the social distancing rules meant it would be a race day like no other.
“A lot of people may decide on house parties and barbecues, we won’t really know until it’s over.”
Owners and connections of Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment gathered to celebrate the race that stops at the Prince of Wales in St Kilda, where the Cup was hand-delivered by VRC chair Amanda Elliott.
Part-owner Nick Williams said he and fellow owners were glad to be out of lockdown and able to celebrate together.
“What can you say? In this most bizarre of years I don’t think anyone knew what to expect,” he said.
“It’s been a year where we’ve all had to play everything day by day.
“We obviously didn’t have the event today that any of us would have wanted but considering the time I think we’ve achieved something fantastic. It was a great event on television and it was a great horse race.”
He praised the “wise beyond his years” trainer Joseph O’Brien.
And he said jockey Jye McNeil deserved particular credit.
“What a ride. His first ride in a Melbourne Cup.
“He followed the instructions to a tee and the horse did the rest. What a day.”
Mr Williams said Twilight Triumph was a “relentless” horse.
He said his father, Lloyd, had watched the race at home.
Part-owner Michael Gudinski said he was impressed with McNeil’s ride.
“The Melbourne Cup always has great stories. For a jockey to have his first race in the Melbourne Cup and win it, good on him.”
Mr Gudinski said the win was “beyond expectations”.
“It’s a magic moment. Even thought we couldn’t be at the track it’s still so special. To be here with a few of your mates and be able to talk to people again, with Melbourne opening up, it’s a very special time. We’re looking forward to next year.”
Part-owner Gerry Ryan said “it’s wonderful the Cup’s going to stay in Melbourne.”
He said “it was a bit concerning” when Twilight Payment entered the back straight.
“But that was the instruction, that was the plan. Jye McNeil is an underrated jockey and you’re going to see a lot more of him.”
Revellers across the popular Chapel St district were in good form despite the restrictions making it a more muted affair this year.
Friends Beth Wilson, Rachel Hughes and Natasha Adams hadn’t been together since the first wave of the pandemic in March.
“I’m just grateful we are able to be here,” Ms Adams told the Herald Sun from outside the popular cocktail bar Morris Jones.
They were allowed to have six people at their table, with a total of 70 permitted at the venue.
“It’s been such a wild year, so its nice to be able to at least do this,” Ms Hughes said, adding it was the first time she had been to a bar since the lockdown ended.
Ms Wilson said they would normally celebrate Melbourne Cup with a few drinks and she had been looking forward to it.
“It’s 100 per cent better than nothing.”
Morris Jones manager Luc Ducourtial said they were booked solid throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
“It will be like that through until this weekend and then it might be a bit lean during the week as people get back into the new normal, but we are looking very busy again next weekend.”
There were several areas inside the bar that allowed people to social distance, with a maximum of 70 at any one time.
Across the city, a group of keen punters gathered at the upstairs function room at the Duke of Wellington pub on Flinders Street.
Elsternwick man Jamie Clarke was among the revellers enjoying a drink with mates at the popular city rooftop pub.
“I’m here to celebrate the Melbourne Cup with friends,” Mr Clarke said.
“We’re so happy to get out. It’s great to be here with 50 people instead of staying home. We’ve been looking forward to it.”
Mr Clarke said he had backed Prince of Arran because of the familiarities between it and Prince of Penzance in 2015.
Construction worker Robert Young said it was “good to get out of the house” to watch the Cup.
“It’s been a long time between drinks,” Mr Young said.
He backed Russian Camelot in the cup.
At 3pm he was $100 down but “hoping to turn it around”.
“It is a really good atmosphere,” he said.
“It’s a relief you can come and talk to other humans.”
Ben, who didn’t wish to reveal his surname, said it was his first time back “on the beers” since the second lockdown.
He would usually be in the VRC members section at the track.
“I would rather be back at Flemington,” Ben said.
“Being at a pub is a different experience. But I’m embracing the different year. It’s a sign of the times.”
Ben said he was backing Sir Dragonet in the Cup after the Cox Plate.
“It’s the first time I’ve been to the pub and speaking to people in person,” he said.
“It’s good to have a few drinks in the hot weather. I’m preparing for a hangover tomorrow.”
Richmond couple Jane Dobney and Jonathan Lowe left the kids at home for a day out at the pub.
The couple have two boys – aged 7 and 3 – who they left in the care of their grandparents.
“It is so good to be away from the four walls of my house,” Ms Dobney said.
“The sun is shining and everyone is smiling.
“It was so nice to dress up.”
The pair have promised they’ll shout their kids an UberEATS meal after they won big on race one.
“It’s great to be out again, it feels normal,” Mr Lowe added.
“It is great to see everyone smiling and having fun.”
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