My winning hat
The winning lady's hat
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My wifes hatThe early morning promised a fine sunny day for staging of the Melbourne Cup before a change from a cool southerly breeze. Bookmakers breathed a collective sign of relief to see Japanese winner Delta Blue @16/1 win by a short nose from its more favoured stable mate Pop Rock, with the Australian horse (aptly named Maybe Better) running a distant 3rd. The $5.3 million Melbourne Cup enters a new era with renewed interest from Japan.
Race day stops a nation. Wherever you are everyone stops to listen to the great race. Maybe next year it will stop 2 nations. Although the spring racing carnival attracts record crowds, 130,000 this year at "Derby Day" and another 107,000 for the Melbourne Cup, most folk like me watch the races from TV. This year we watched the great race from the comfort of a friend’s house where they hosted a Melbourne Cup party.
We enjoyed wonderful hospitality and our hosts added prizes for the best ladies and men’s hats. Yours truly won the best men's hat which was designed by my wife. I have included pictures of the winning lady's hat along with my wife and friends, dressed in sartorial splendour!!
14 comments:
I've never heard of the Melbourne Cup. It sounds like a wonderful day. And of course, it's summer down there, you lucky ducks.
Great hats...! What's in the green bag...?
Cheers,
Josie
I just googled it. It's very long compared to our races. I think our longest may be the Belmont Stakes at 1-1/2 miles.
Love the hats.
Hi Granny & Josie
The Melbourne cup has stopped a nation since it was first run in 1861.
Paradoxically, the prize - in 1861, apart from the money (170 pounds) - was not a cup but a hand - beaten gold watch.
Archer, the Winning horse, had walked to Melbourne from its stable in Nowra, New South Wales, a distance of 500 miles (800km) to run in the race.
Josie -I was holding up my prize - a box of chocolates
hats off to you!
Well done, great pics, and a lovely way to enjoy the day. Did you have a winning ticket? On the race, I mean -
thanks
Love the hats!! Very creative and erm, interesting! :) Glad y'all had a fun day.
Grab your coat, and get your hat, Leave your worry on the doorstep Just direct your feet, To the sunny side of the street.
Hi Grannyfiddler, dellab, Vee, BT & Worried
Thanks for visiting-and for your comments -, no winning ticket but an enjoyable day!! BT -you haven’t been around -welcome back!
Worried -always emotional to remember - my own words -attempting relevancy.
Best wishes
Nice hat! Nice smile too.
It sounds like fun. Always intersting to learn what events stir a nation. In Canada, it's the Grey Cup and the Stanley Cup (football and hockey respectively).
The horse people have some big races too, but they don't stop the nation.
Hat-tip to you my friend! You guys seem to know how to get a party going..
How fun...even though I LOST! I still can't quite get over it. Well done if you put money on Delta Blue.
The hats are a wonderful tradition and very special to Aussie racing days. I always love a good party!
Who are you choosing for the Hobart cup???
Hi Da & Wendy
Thanks for visiting.
The 2007 AAMI Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival is going to have the greatest contingent of interstate invaders in history, picking a winner will be very difficult.
Bass Strait will be full of trainers and jockeys crossing the waters, lured by rich pickings for both the Hobart and Launceston Cups or the Cadbury Tasmanian Derby. Over 4 weeks of January-February and $2 million in prize money up for grabs, it’s going to be the biggest ever and maybe Wendy you could have a party at home or attend one of the race meetings!!
Best wishes
Great pictures Lindsay! And your wife is a beautiful and happy looking lady as well. How interesting the cultural things we learn when traveling from country to country via the blogosphere. I'm sure I'll 'score some brownie points' if I ever mention the Melbourne Cup to an Aussie traveler here in Austin. Sorry I've been absent from visiting your blog for a while but you know the reason, it's good to be back,
hugs
Ingrid
Terrific hats!
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