Melbourne Racing Club unveils plans for punters to enjoy Caulfield Cup Carnival at home
Melbourne Racing Club is planning for no spectators at this year’s Caulfield Cup — but it has unveiled a raft of ways for fans to experience the popular race without leaving home.
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The Caulfield Cup Carnival is set to be a home affair both on and off the track, as the Melbourne Racing Club acknowledges it will almost certainly not have punters trackside for the spring racing carnival.
Instead, the club plans to amp up the at-home racing experience with marquee-style hospitality delivered direct to fans, racing fashion advice and competitions for the couch-bound, a content series showcasing local racing talent and a celebration of the real heroes of 2020.
Chief commercial officer Peta Webster said the MRC had brought an international flavour to the event in the past few years, highlighting New York and Los Angeles, but this year was all about bringing the carnival home.
“Spring is going to look very different this year but luckily for us at Melbourne Racing Club, different is actually what we do best. So we’re embracing it and really excited about what we can offer to our members and our broader audience,” she said.
“We felt it was important to really draw that line in the sand and build our whole carnival around a no-spectator plan, and then add in the layer if we’re able to welcome some owners or some members on the day.”
MRC chief executive Josh Blanksby said the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup Carnival would also focus on local horses as strict quarantine measures mean international horses were not making the trip. He was hopeful that horses from interstate would be able to travel for the carnival.
“At the moment horses can’t travel between NSW and Victoria, so a lot of work is going on at Racing Australia level, so I’m confident that’ll be resolved hopefully by October because you still want the best NSW and Queensland horses coming down to Victoria,” he said.
“I’m probably not as concerned about the international aspect, I think it’s always great to have an international flavour but I think it’s more of a story this year for the locals and the sort of the opportunity for the local horses to really dominate the carnival and win a Caulfield Cup.”
Mr Blanksby said members were a priority, with the club on Friday announcing a further extension of all memberships (already extended until 30 September) until December 31.
To get into the spirit of spring race days, fans can recreate their own marquee experience at home with the MRC’s Super Box.
Louise and Brett Lambert are looking forward to celebrating with their children Charlie, 17, Chloe, 20 and Jake, 9.
“I like the idea of the Super Box, it means I don’t have to do anything but pop the champagne,” Mrs Lambert said.
While David Jones is no longer a fashion sponsor, racewear will still be a focus on race days with an online competition.
“We’re calling it our social style stakes. We will have a traditional ladies category and the group category as well, and this year that might be families in the home,” Ms Webster said.
“And because it’s at people’s home, we’re actually going to have a category that talks about how you dress your home.”
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There’s every chance the Caulfield Cup could run on the same day as in interstate AFL Grand Final this year.
“It could be a huge day. One of the really positive announcements we’ve made through this period was extension of our Channel 7 deal…which means the cross promotional opportunities are pretty exciting,” Mr Blanskby said.
“Whether it’s a twilight Grand Final from Perth or whether it’s an evening Grand Final from Brisbane, you can just see how racing can play straight into that as one broadcast, really.”
One of the upsides to the COVID crisis has been the uptake of punters tuning into the races at a time when other sport has been non-existent or limited.
“It’s huge, it’s been amazing. One of our winter race days was nearly as big as Derby Day ratings last year, so that the engagement of the sport is through the roof,” Ms Webster said.