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Flemington Racecourse, Home of the Melbourne Cup
Flemington is definitely Australias best known racecourse as it is home of the Melbourne Cup, the race that stops a nation.
Flemington in central Melbourne is where races were held in 1840, on the river flats of the Maribyrnong River. At the time, Melbourne was a town barely five years old and just starting to boom, largely due to the gold strikes in nearby Bendigo and Ballarat. Flemington then developed along with Melbourne.
Flemington is Australias oldest race course, and in 2006 was placed on the National Heritage List. Located just 15 minutes from Melbournes CBD, Flemington is firmly on the tourist map, although many tourists come to see the famous rose gardens rather than the horses! Flemington is serviced to this day by special race trains on big race days, and Melbournes famous trams at other times. Flemington is a big centre for training, with many of Australias best known horse trainers maintaining stables at or near the Flemington course
The history of Flemington is synonymous with the history of the Melbourne Cup. The Cup was first held at the course in 1861, and has been held ever since on the first Tuesday of November. The Melbourne Cup is the best known race of Flemingtons Spring Carnival, which runs over eight days. Other feature races are the AJ McKinnon Stakes, the Victoria Derby and the Victoria Oaks.
The Flemington track has an unusual feature called the “straight six” where horses race down a straight 1200m (six furlongs) section of track which then joins the track proper.
The modern day Flemington track bears little resemblance to the original rough and ready track, which brought rich and poor together in the gold rush days. The early track had no barriers and few facilities. However, the long term success of the Melbourne Cup has seen the Victoria Racing Club invest heavily in the Flemington track. Today Flemington boasts a capacity of over 120,000 and three grandstands. The newest stand cost $45 million and opened in 2000. The Hill Stand was built in 1977. Notable art works displayed in the stands include a bronze statue of the famous horse Phar Lap, and a seven panel mural by Harold Freedman, which illustrates the history of racing.
As soon as the Melbourne Cup of 2006 was run and won, the entire track surface was ripped up and replaced for the first time in Flemingtons history. Racing did not resume at Flemington until September 2007.
Even in the early days, the Melbourne Cup became as well known for its social party atmosphere as for the racing and betting. Today, Flemington is as much home to fashion in the field events in Australia as Ascot is in England.
Flemington markets itself as a destination for much more than racing. The Flemington Event Centre is a premier spot to host a wedding in the rose gardens, a sophisticated cocktail party or a trendy product launch. However, at the end of the day, Flemington racecourse will always be the home of the Melbourne Cup.
The Cheltenham Betting Festival Fashion Sense
Cheltenham betting festival for this upcoming march of 2011 will mark its one hundred years of horse jump racing which was first organize in the year 1911 when the National Hunt Committee agreed to the terms with the steeplechase company limited that was base in Cheltenham which allows the National Hunt Meeting to be held for one year in Cheltenham. And over the years till present horse racing becomes one of the most celebrated even in the Cheltenham betting festival in United Kingdom. Racing enthusiast from all walks of life is raring to witness this big event and to check for those long lists of betting games available on that festivity.
And on the Wednesday of the 2011 Cheltenham festival is the designated day for ladies. This event is organized for the purpose of recognizing the role of women in horse jump racing as well as their achievement on the said race. This is also the day to give this lovely ladies the venue and a chance to have some fun as the Ladies Day Fashion awards will be one of the most highlighted feature in the event.
Ladies day also features seven electrifying race cards like Seasons Holidays, Queen Mother, and Champion Chase that would surely go straight to the top of your Cheltenham betting list.
And to top it all, ladies night would not be possible and will not be a ladies night without the different fashion style that would be flaunted during that time by the different beautiful ladies. Preparations for the night would surely build up as the final countdown for the coming event will come to its end. Ladies would surely take some time to shop around finding the suitable dress for the said occasion not to mention finding the size that would fit to their gorgeous figure at the good price. It might be a very challenging task to most ladies but this ladies would surely defy all the strings attach just to win the coveted ladies fashion day awards.
The festivals dress code this year is the “dress for winter”, so for ladies who are planning to take some beautiful summer or spring dresses just take it aside for awhile and go for some tweed suits and coats to give you the needed warm while staying fashionable. Now if you decided to wear spring inspired frocks make sure to layer it with tights and ankle booties and top it off with a snug and smart winter coat and do not forget to protect your hands with pair of fashionable gloves. Another fashion style that can be added is choosing fashionable hats. Hat fashions are also making its mark at the festival particularly the ladies. Feather hats and elaborate head dresses are beautifully adorn in each womens heads.
For make-up tips, try to use a light and breathable material and make sure to apply moisturize and SPF to protect your skin from the sun and cold weather. Another ideal make up to use in this kind of condition is the water proof and smudge proof make up which gives you a great coverage that could last for the whole day event. And lastly you can polish your looks by applying a pigment of rich lip gloss on top of your favorite lipstick and there you are ready to go.