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3pm: Taree crowd watches the cup
2.30pm: Fashions on the Field winners announced
1.33pm: Watch Murray Nelson calling a race live
Noon: Beautiful fashion
Photographer Scott Calvin and Manning River Times media consultants have been flat out shooting the beautiful fashion at Bushland Drive Racecourse for the People’s Choice Awards. Keep an eye on our website for the full photo galleries and to cast your vote for best dressed!
11.30am: Birthday pick
THEY are the first at the gates – ready and racing to go.
The Moons, Tony and Wendy, and friend Trudy Martin are familiar faces around the Bushland Drive racecourse at Taree track on Melbourne Cup Day.
They are one of the first punters to arrive each year, not just to get a better view, but to catch the first race from Melbourne.
“We don’t miss a thing,” Wendy said, who loves watching the local races too.
“I love hearing the hooves on the ground.”
Wendy’s husband Tony enjoys a punt on cup day.
Today is Tony’s birthday and he hopes his pick of number 17 Almandin in the Melbourne Cup will deliver him a tidy birthday present.
To prepare for the big day Wendy and Tony, watch the experts for “hours” to use as a guide.
11am: Hungry race-goers
Taree’s Cracklin Pizza’s Woodfire are expected to sell more than 200 pizzas to hungry race-goers at Bushland Track today.
Jane Hili from Cracklin Pizza’s Woodfire said, each year the demand gets higher and higher, with it always being a sell-out.
The pizza business has been coming to the track for around five years.
Next door, Steve Filby with the Look At Me! Photobooth has also been coming to the track for five years.
He is expecting to capture hundreds of special moments today.
“We try and have a competition over who has the biggest line!,” Jane said.
10am: Big day for bookies
The bookies are all set up at the Bushland Racecourse. Bookmakers clerks’ Leslee Bond and Mark Arndell are expected to be flat out between 2.30pm and the big race.
“Those who are smart get in early,” Mark said.
“We get a lot of first time betters today. Also, there’s the grandparents who have the big long list of bets for each of their grand kids.”
Mark’s first time betters tips:
o Bookies don’t deal with trifectas
o You just need to say: how much you are putting on it, what number horse it is and are you backing a win or each way.
