Over 80,000 fans flock to Flemington for Penfolds Victoria Derby Day

A total of 81,612 racegoers, the highest Penfolds Victoria Derby Day crowd since 2018, flocked to Flemington for the traditional curtain raiser where Goldrush Guru won the $2 million Group 1 Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m), Australia’s oldest classic race.

Sixteen years after Clare Lindop became the first female jockey to win the Penfolds Victoria Derby on the Leon Macdonald-trained Rebel Raider, Macdonald’s former training partner Andrew Gluyas combined with top rider Jamie Kah to take the blue riband event with Goldrush Guru.

Trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald dominated the other feature races, combining to win the $2 million Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) with Switzerland and the $1 million Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) with Atishu.

Earlier in the day, Jamie Kah rode Ciaron Maher’s talented Another Wil to capture the Group 2 The Damien Oliver (1400m) in an emotional victory that was a fitting tribute to his dedicated and successful owner Colin McKenna who recently passed following a short illness.

This year was the second time that Penfolds Victoria Derby Day was offered internationally through World Pool, with punters from all corners of the globe able to tune into the action at Flemington Racecourse.

The world-famous Birdcage Enclosure played host to a who’s who of entertainment, sport,  business and media including international models Abbey Lee, Jessica Gomes and actress Olympia Valance for Lexus; international model Georgia Fowler and Melbourne Football Club superstar Christian Petracca for Penfolds; Olympic gold-medalist Emma McKeon, Australian singer and swimmer Cody Simpson, along with AFL player Nick and Josh Daicos for Mumm, NBA superstar Clyde Drexler and Michael Clarke for TAB; Diamonds netball players Liz Watson and Jo Weston for G.H.Mumm; Norm Smith medalist Will Ashcroft, business women Rebecca Judd, Rebecca Harding and comedian and TV Presenter Andy Lee for Crown; and Nine News weather host Livinia Nixon for Nine plus Friend of the VRC and model Montana Cox, Melbourne Cup Carnival ambassador Michelle Payne OAM and VRC Ambassador Crystal Kimber-Peters.

Now in its 62nd year, Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field kicked off in The Park with the traditional black and white palette dominating the opening day of Australia’s most famous fashion competition. In hotly contested finals, the top three for both categories were selected with the Best Dressed winners Zeljka Abaza, Viera Macikova and Emma Scodellaro along with the Best Suited winners Kathryn Jones, Marcus Marcuson and Hamish Smith  all heading straight into the grand final on Crown Oaks Day. 

The creative and design-led Emerging Designer Award was judged by an elite panel including fashion designer Effie Kats, Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassador Michelle Payne OAM and Melbourne Fashion Festival CEO Caroline Ralphsmith.  The winner was Melbourne based creative Victoria Cananzi who is currently undertaking her final year at the Whitehouse Institute of Design. Victoria’s stunning silk design with a boned bodice was created with a vision that explored the nature of textured fiber, timeless sophistication and minimalist innovation. 

American singing superstar Anastacia and Dutch DJ Sam Feldt entertained thousands of racegoers in The Park throughout the day.

Victoria Racing Club Chief Executive Officer Kylie Rogers said that the first of four days of exciting Melbourne Cup Carnival action surpassed expectations both on and off the track.

“It was wonderful to witness 81,612 race fans celebrate the official start of the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival at Penfolds Victoria Derby Day,” Ms Rogers said.

“Flemington turned on fantastic weather, and it was superb to see our members and racegoers in a stylish sea of black and white as they enjoyed world-class racing, food, fashion and entertainment.

“From the stands to the front lawn, the crowd was deafening as they cheered home Jamie Kah aboard Goldrush Guru to win Australia’s oldest classic, the 2024 Penfolds Victoria Derby.”

“The focus of Australia and the world now turns to the race that stops the nation, the Lexus Melbourne Cup, with another memorable chapter set to be written in the race’s illustrious and storied history. Another name will join the likes of Archer, Carbine, Phar Lap and Makybe Diva on the honour roll of Australia’s greatest race.”

More than $52,000 was raised for the Pin & Win charity partner, Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria and Tasmania.

After the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Ron Hutchinson Award for top jockey  over the four days is led by James McDonald on 11 points ahead of Blake Shinn on nine and Kah on eight. The J B Cummings Award is presented to the leading trainer, with Chris Waller on nine points  just ahead of Ciaron Maher on eight and a half points and both Grahame Begg and the father-son partnership of Anthony and Sam Freedman on five points each.

Lexus Melbourne Cup Day celebrations will head to Living Legends, the international home of champion retired racehorses, on Monday from 11am. To register, visit VRC.com.au.

Lexus Melbourne Cup Day (Tuesday 5 November) is the next day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, followed by Crown Oaks Day (Thursday 7 November) and TAB Champions Stakes Day (Saturday 9 November).