Billionaires’ big day out at the Cup as Birdcage turns on the style
The Birdcage at Flemington might have been the place to parade at yesterday’s Melbourne Cup, but when the race was run the power set gathered far from prying eyes in the Victorian Racing Club Committee Room.
Paula Fox, wife of billionaire trucker Lindsay Fox, jumped for joy as her friend Lloyd Williams’ Almandin nosed in front to be first past the post.
It was the fifth Melbourne Cup victory for rich-lister Williams (last valued at $790 million), who sported a grey three-piece suit and top hat for the day.
It was the 76-year-old’s first visit to Flemington in two decades. He was accompanied by his son Nick Williams and his wife Saskia, who opted for all black, save for buff Valentino heels, in which she led the winner back to the yard.
Also in the committee room to watch the $6.2m race were billionaire Gina Rinehart, her billionaire buddy Anthony Pratt (cheering on Big Orange) and Pratt’s charming partner Claudine Revere.
Energiser bunny Foreign Minister Julie Bishop found her way to the celebrity circus too, cutting through the masses in a Philip Treacy hat, Hugo Boss dress and Louboutin heels, accompanied by her partner David Panton.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and national treasure Barry Humphries also enjoyed the hospitality of VRC chair and MacBanker Michael Burn.
The place to be
But before the big race, the big schmooze. And, as always, where better than the Birdcage for that?
Trucking mogul Lindsay Fox was out of Toorak and inside for an early start.
The billionaire (last valued at $2.5 billion) popped into Emirates before leading the retreat to the rarefied air of the Committee Room.
A shame as the Birdcage, with its booze, food and flesh, seemed the perfect place to debrief on the bacchanalian 80th conception party he threw on the Mediterranean over the European summer.
“I’ve got to start saving for the next one,” Fox told us, before heading off.
Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart, was the second billionaire to arrive. And what an entrance!
The woman, dubbed the matriarch of the Australian Olympic team, embraced the name, arriving with Hancock Prospecting Olympians rower Josh Dunkley-Smith, synchronised swimmer Bianca Hammett, and swimmers Mac Horton and Madeline Groves.
Rinehart’s minder Sophie Mirabella was alongside, unmissable in a horizontal navy and white-striped knee-length jacket, a neck full of pearls and pink hat from Richard Umbers’ Myer. The new job? “I’m loving it”.
Mirabella declared she was too busy to punt, but her emotional support was behind the only horse ridden by a woman — Katelyn Mallyon’s Assign. Alas, that was last year’s fairytale.
As for her boss Rinehart, who went with top-to-bottom cream for the day, “I’m backing all the Australian ones”.
No wonder she’s gets on so well with Barnaby Joyce.
“This is my third Cup,” the billionaire told us, and what a hit she was.
Her only slip of the day, however, was one down the Emirates stairs en route to the Committee Room, after which she was all grace and apologies.
And, really, we’ve all been there.
Members of her entourage were less relaxed: “Delete the photos! Delete the photos!” went the cry.
Be my wingman
Also flying in style with the Dubai-based airline was Qantas boss Alan Joyce, who was channelling an aviation moviestar look, with his Raybans and Tom Cruise million-dollar smile.
Joyce was accompanied by his partner Shane Lloyd, with the airline boss switching his support to Big Orange. “Because of Jetstar!”
He also liked the second-placed Heartbreak City, owned by three Irish fellas in a syndicate called “Here For The Craic”.
Joyce’s trusted executive Olivia Wirth and her husband KPMG partner Paul Howes were again on-board, while Flight Centre boss Graham “Skroo” Turner was entertained with a bottomless glass of red.
The man who helped Malcolm Turnbull win Wentworth, Scott Briggs, whose new venture capital shop Pacific Blue Capital was launched by the PM last month, was also there, along with Nine’s Eddie McGuire, with his stylish wife Carla and their two sons Alexander and Joseph.
Julie Bishop and David Panton had begun their day with the airline, chatting with Aussie Post boss Ahmed Fahour and his wife Dionnie. Fahour made his own style statement, sporting a postman-like man bag.
New Senator Derryn Hinch, with his signature untucked shirt, was also there.
Centre of the universe
Before Visy billionaire Anthony Pratt (last valued at $10.35bn) lunched with Rinehart in Emirates, the movie-loving, cardboard mogul began his day at HWT chair Penny Fowler’s Herald Sun marquee.
“It’s the centre of the universe,” beamed Fowler.
“It is,” Pratt agreed. What a gracious guest!
Also enjoying the centre of the universe were Fowler’s husband, former VFL footballer Grant Fowler, Pratt’s partner Claudine Revere (who sits on the Pratt family advisory board with Fowler), Westpac’s George Frazis, round ball boss David Gallop and, of course, the Herald Sun’s editor Damon Johnston.
Over in Myer, the store’s face Jennifer Hawkins wore a plunging red jumpsuit while the retailer’s boss Richard Umbers got into the Australian spirit backing Jameka.
“We’re the only Australian-owned retailer, so I backed the Australian horse,” the English accented Umbers said.
Tabcorp’s political pull
A stable of NSW Liberal moderates ruled chair Paula Dwyer’s Tabcorp marquee.
King of the Moderates Michael Photios was tipping Bondi Beach. “I’m all at sea — like the Liberal Party right now,” he explained.
Defence Minister Marise Payne was in her preferred position (her seat reserved by a cunning Tabcorp operative at 10am — give that person a raise!). Joining Payne was her husband NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres and Canberra housemate Trent Zimmerman, the Member for North Sydney.
Tabcorp boss David Attenborough was a worthy host as chair Dwyer ducked out to present the trophy for race two and then headed up to the Committee Room for lunch.
Brewing a win
Bill Shorten and wife Chloe cheered on Australian-reared horse Jameka in Tabcorp, but before that they brought some star power to Stuart Irvine’s Lion marquee/trackside pub.
Also at Lion were the Nationals Small Business Minister Michael McCormack (or as Shorten introduced him “the Minister for Census”) and his wife Catherine.
Shorten’s shadow minister Brendan O’Connor was also in Lion, but much more interested in the races than schmoozing.
Also inside were Trade Minister Steve Ciobo, Health Minister Sussan Ley, who kept a remarkably low profile for a cabinet minister and dressed in a striking red, white and black ensemble, Greenhill Australia boss Roger Feletto (who backed the winner Almandin) and Lion chair Rod Eddington.
Meanwhile, over at fellow booze tent Wolf Blass, Treasury Wine Estates boss Michael Clarke’s two-year Cup winning streak came to an end. Still, Clarke doubled his money on Derby Day.
Cat on the prowl
With the main race run, all that was left was to see and be seen.
Was that really the widow of the late Christopher Skase, Pixie, 75, wandering the Birdcage hand-in-hand with a much younger beau?
And there was Fairfax executive Antony “The Cat” Catalano, on the prowl (in sunnies, beige suit and tan shoes), with his entourage.
We just hope he didn’t drive home.
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