Punters brave torrential rain, flooding at Flemington Racecourse
FLEMINGTON punters may have had to endure torrential rain and a long commute home but when the rain pelted down early there was more good humour than complaint.
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CROWDS leaving Flemington this evening had to endure a long commute home after torrential rain earlier in the day closed one platform.
Metro said train services were running every six minutes from Platform 2, as soggy racegoers tried and make their way back to the city.
To add to the frustration, the Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston and Sandringham lines were delayed after a trespasser was reported on the tracks near South Yarra station.
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Massive queues for trains at Flemington Racecourse #ptv @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/rQ7g4PKQIg
— Aneeka Simonis (@AneekaSimonis) November 6, 2018
The second wettest Melbourne Cup on record didn’t scare off punters, with racegoers braving torrential rain at a flooded Flemington Racecourse earlier in the day.
That the heavens would open at Flemington ahead of the big race was about the only sure bet.
But to some the deluge of water seemed fitting on this day of excess.
So when the rain pelted down early — 50mm of it — there was more good humour than complaint.
Seasoned punters might have wondered if the dash for cover was actually worth backing. Racegoers perched under eaves and umbrellas.
Others sank their drinks and any chance of keeping dry as the clouds rolled in.
The luckiest onlookers pondered it all from behind double-glazed glass.
They might have been watching as two blokes slid through a river of water out front.
Oh, the humanity.
They could have blamed the champagne for premature revelry like that.
But it also seemed a fitting spirit for a spectacle like this.
Long before the race stopped the nation, the rain had halted trains headed to the track.
At Southern Cross Station, ponchos sold out faster than Flemington’s flutes.
But by the time the crowd edged forward for the feature race, the horses bolted beneath a sprawling blue sky.
“Bloody typical Melbourne,” spruiked one bloke in a flamingo-flavoured suit.
By then, Flemington’s immaculate grass looked more like a music festival underfoot.
But there were few other concessions when it came to making the most of the biggest day on the racing calendar. And they came from everywhere.
Vic Morgan jetted from Western Australia to celebrate her daughter’s 30th.
“A lot of planning went into this so there was no way a little rain was going to stop us,” she said.
Michael Henshaw, of Tamworth, arrived with his three mates on a mission to win big. In top hat and tails they’d arrived as the band of rain did its worst.
“We just mingled in a little closure,” Mr Henshaw said. “A bit of weather is nothing to worry about.”
Closer to the rail, Jenny Chiswall was among the wet-footed tourists eager to soak up the atmosphere. “Us Kiwis enjoy an event in any weather.”
There was another fitting turn in the forecast by the time Kerrin McEvoy stepped up to the podium.
But rain was the least of his worries as he wrapped his hands around the silverware.
“I’m getting wet here,” he told the crowd. “But I don’t give a stuff.”
TORRENTIAL RAIN FLOODS ROADS, AFFECTS FLIGHTS
The deluge of rain affected a Qantas flight QF080 from Tokyo, a Singapore Airlines SQ227 and a Jetstar flight from Sydney which returned to Sydney, a Melbourne Airport spokesperson said.
Earlier there were also major train delays due to flooding near Flemington Racecourse, and tram routes were also diverted and delayed due to storm damage.
Race one began in a flood and finished with jockeys questioning visibility.
Winning jockey Beau Mertens said it was the “craziest” conditions he had ever ridden in, while winning hoop Mark Zahra — who saluted on Bella Rose — said his similar experiences often resulted in the races being called off.
The track was earlier rated a Good 4, but dropped to an 8.
“It’d be easily an 8 (track) now, and you’d think it’s be a 10 easily by the time the Cup comes around,” he said.
“It’s obviously very hard going out there. My goggles were full of water when I came back to scale. Boots are full of water now. There’s a lot of surface water.”
Flights diverted due to visibility at Melbourne airport, and Metro trains delayed due to flooding at Flemington. The race that stops the nation.
— Ahron Young (@AhronYoung) November 6, 2018
Rain has eased in western #Victoria with the main band likely through the #Melbourne region not long after midday. Some showers and isolated storms still possible this afternoon #MelbourneCup. https://t.co/eefQuZY0Uk pic.twitter.com/altBaFGb0T
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) November 6, 2018
The rain didn’t stop racegoers from hitting the track early, with some executing precise plans to run through the gates to reserve seated areas before 9am.
Flooding was earlier reported in suburbs including Reservoir, and there was a severe weather warning for heavy rain over parts of central and eastern Victoria.
The heavens opened up almost immediately after the #MelbCup2018 race. A steady stream of racegoers are making a beeline for the train. Umbrellas are up, shoes are off (for some) @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/IRKa2wnn0N
— Aneeka Simonis (@AneekaSimonis) November 6, 2018
Trains to Flemington for #melbournecup now terminating at Showgrounds due to flooding.
— Peter Rolfe (@rolfep) November 6, 2018
2:30pm Update - due to storm damage:
— Yarra Trams (@yarratrams) November 6, 2018
- Route 6 trams in both directions continue to divert via Dandenong Rd and Glenferrie Rd between Stop 27 High St and Stop 44 Glenferrie Rd.
- Tram replacement buses are running between Stop 27 High St and Stop 44 Glenferrie Rd.
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