Melbourne Racing Club has relaxed members' race-day dress codes to entice young punters

MELBOURNE Racing Club has relaxed members' race-day dress codes in a bid to entice more young punters to the carnival.

MELBOURNE Racing Club has relaxed members' race-day dress codes in a bid to entice more young punters to the autumn carnival.

The decision comes two months after a woman was ejected from Moonee Valley, and another asked to remain seated in the Chairman's Club at Flemington, because they were sporting super short playsuits.

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News_Image_File: Sophie shows a relaxed frock look. News_Image_File: Model Sophie Van Den Akker in a stylish playsuit style outfit.

The relaxed racing campaign, which includes Caulfield and country racing, is being launched tomorrow at Caulfield racecourse before Saturday's Family Day featuring the first Group 1 race of the year.

Even Premier Denis Napthine will be supporting the concept by dressing down when he hits the track this weekend.

Melbourne Racing Club's head of racing and communications, Jake Norton, said jackets and ties were not required for men in most of the members and more casual or edgy female fashions were welcome on women.

"It's a small step in a modern direction," Mr Norton said.

"Racing clubs are overseen by committees of successful business people who are slightly detached from the youth market."

He said though the relaxed dress code was in place only for the autumn racing carnival, he hoped it would be introduced into the more high-profile Spring Racing Carnival.

"We've developed a new code which will hopefully be able to roll out further in the future."

The Victorian Racing Club has chosen not to take part in the Racing Victoria campaign designed to invigorate more interest in autumn racing, meaning traditional racewear codes continue to apply in the members at Flemington.

"While racegoers in Flemington's expansive general admission facilities are welcome to dress casually, feedback from VRC members has demonstrated an overwhelming support for the current members' dress regulations," VRC CEO David Courtney said.

Model and footy WAG Sophie van den Akker is looking forward to embracing the new relaxed vibe.

"I'll definitely be swapping fascinators for fedoras and dumping the stilettos for wedges," said the girlfriend of Collingwood's Travis Cloke.