Favourite flops but the bubbly keeps flowing

Myer chairman Paul McClintock, spokesmodel Jennifer Hawkins and chief executive Bernie Brookes

THE most fun inside the Birdcage on Derby Day was had at the three-level wigwam erected by luxury car brand Lexus, where celebrities, politicians and corporates formed a well-dressed moshpit.

Former union bruvver Paul Howes was seen clutching bundles of cash and a glass of champagne as he lined up to place a bet, and then deep in conversation with his wife, Qantas spin doctor Olivia Howes, celeb chef Neil Perry, who’d clambered out of his Rockpool to do the catering, and perma-tanned TV personality Richard Wilkins.

Howes quit as head of the AWU early this year and resurfaced in June as a consultant at big-four accounting firm KPMG.

He told Margin Call he had no remaining union roles. “I’m all out,” he said. “The firm has been great.”

He said he was looking for something different and “a bit of a quiet life”.

Margin Call isn’t sure a luxury car marquee on one of the biggest racedays of the year is the right place to look for peace and quiet — but on the other hand the Neil Perry hamburgers and Mumm champagne were probably more enjoyable than the mystery meat sausage sizzle offered at your average picket line.

Bell Potter wholesale broking boss Charlie Aitken was also in the Lexus marquee, where he said he was “doing a little bit of markets stuff”.

Banking on success

MARGIN Call can’t remember a bank having a marquee at Flemington since 2011, when Westpac had one, outside the Birdcage, hosted by swimmer Grant Hackett.

As much as bank CEOs might want to mingle with the beautiful people at the races, their legions of PR handlers generally keep them as far away as possible from anywhere they might be photographed in formal dress clutching a glass of champagne against a backdrop of luxury.

Even more so these days, when the already little-loved banks are under extra pressure over the financial advice scandals rocking the industry.

But there it was, discreetly tucked away on the Birdcage’s second row.

When the waiter wasn’t standing in front of the sign, you could just about make out, in teeny tiny letters: Westpac Institutional Bank.

Let’s hope it works out better for Westpac than their 2011 effort. It was after Hackett hosted the bank marquee, dancing up a storm and kicking on to the after-party, that the grand piano at the Southbank home the Olympic champ shared with singer Candice Alley somehow ended up overturned.

His contract with Westpac wasn’t renewed.

A new vocation

THAT sure looked like the boss of embattled education outfit ­Vocation, Mark Hutchinson, chillaxing in the VIP area of ­whisky brand Johnny Walker’s marquee.

Margin Call was all ready to buttonhole him and ask whether he was backing favourites in a bid to pump up Vocation’s share price, which has more than halved in the past week after the company finally admitted to problems in its Victorian division.

However, it wasn’t Hutchinson after all but a look-alike, some Hollywood actor.

Apparently this bloke’s name is Chris Hemsworth and he plays Thor in movies or something.

Bernie’s at weekend

LAST year was supposed to be the last ever Birdcage stint for Myer chief executive Bernie Brookes, who was due to step down in ­August.

But track maven Brookes was back again on Saturday after the board gave him another go-around early this year.

He and chairman Paul McClintock were working hard, posing for photos with beauty queen Jennifer Hawkins, who remains a Myer spokesmodel despite the department store’s recent recruitment of actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey.

Brookes hadn’t had huge success with the bookies in the morning but said there were plenty of more races to go in the carnival and recommended keeping an eye on Lucia Valentia for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

Also in the Myer marquee was director Anna Brennan, who is also on the board of Argo Investments and Nufarm. She hadn’t backed a winner but was hopeful her fortunes would turn around. If only she could do the same for Nufarm, which hasn’t had a winning streak since its share price fell off a cliff in 2010.

Gale force

MEGAN Gale, the face of Myer rival David Jones, seemed to spend a lot of time out the front of the pop-up lucky shop set up by Tabcorp opposite its teepee, hanging out with mate Alex Perry. DJs doesn’t have a marquee at the Flemington course, which is Myer territory. Instead, the South African-owned group sets up camp at Caulfield racecourse, on the other side of town.

Keeping tabs

AT the Tabcorp tent chief executive David Attenborough was very relaxed despite the wagering company hitting its busiest time of the year, the spring racing carnival, when once-a-year punters join grizzled punting veterans in flooding the tote’s computers with millions of bets.

Attenborough was backing Bondeiger for the Derby, an outsider that would have made bookies, including the TAB’s own fixed-odds operation, very happy if it won (it came second). The CEO said favourite Hampton Court was also looking good. Sadly, that one, part-owned by ­casino mogul James Packer and trained by Gai Waterhouse, came in eighth.

Joining Attenborough was Tabcorp executive general manager Kerry Willcock and chairman Paula Dwyer. Kerry liked Moonovermanhattan for the Derby because it reminded her of New York, and was planning a big trip to NYC if the horse bolted in.

Former Tabcorp boss and now CEO of the Australian Securities Exchange, ElmerFunke Kupper, was also enjoying the marquee scene, and could enjoy himself as he was no longer the man in charge, although he is on the Tabcorp board. “I’m just here keeping an eye on things,’’ he laughed.

A conservative political club was formed near the Tabcorp bar as senator Mitch Fifield discussed the form with Peter McGauran, former Nationalals politician and a minister in the Howard government.

McGauran, now CEO of the Australian Racing Board, was backing Hampton Court, especially because of its part owner, radio kingpin Alan Jones.

“Never go against Alan Jones. John Howard always told us, never never go against Alan Jones!” It just goes to show that sometimes not even the combined ­forces of Packer and the Parrot are enough.

The senator was also going for Hampton Court because he said it was the horse to back when you didn’t know anything about horseracing.

Quiet words

DWYER was also spotted swapping stories with RBA director Heather Ridout, along with NBN Co chair Ziggy Switkowski.

AFL chief Gillon McLachlan turned up to have a word with Funke Kupper. Earlier, the football supremo was collared by Seven Sunrise star and Port Adelaide football club chairman David Koch, perhaps with a few words of advice for the current AFL rights negotiations.

Coke boss Alison Watkins also made a brief appearance, fizzing in sporting the obligatory black dress and hat.

On the tarmac

ANY scars last week’s lightning strike left on the Emirates marquee were invisible by the time punters descended, with everything looking spick and span.

The marquee was full of top Emirates brass, including Australasian boss Rob Gurney and sales bigwig Tim Shepherd, but there was little sign of anyone from the airline’s junior partner, Qantas. Qantas chairman Leigh Clifford was apparently around somewhere, while CEO Alan Joyce was not expected to show.

The latest mail

YOUR taxes at play: Margin Call spotted Australia’s highest-paid public servant, Australia Post chief Ahmed Fahour, strolling the pavement early in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Federal Liberal MP Kelly O’Dwyer was in the Suncorp/AAMI tent.