For the first time,the to the races,in a move to reflect evolving fashion norms.
Gai Waterhouse is not a fan of the VRC’s new dress regulations,allowing men to wear shorts.Getty Images
The VRC showed off eight models at their official Melbourne Cup Carnival launch on Monday,including one male model who donned dark tailored shorts,paired with a white shirt and light maroon tie and blazer.
But Waterhouse,who turned 69 in September,said that was not her cup of tea.
“It’s ridiculous,I think it’s the silliest thing I’ve ever seen,” she said.
“I’m not going to Bondi Beach,or Altona. You’re coming here,you’ve got to dress for the occasion.
“I saw the bloke[model] with the shorts on,and I thought,‘you’ve got to be joking’. Maybe I’m old-fashioned.”
VRC ambassador and Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Gai Waterhouse.Eddie Jim
The last time the VRC made a change to its members’ dress code was in 2018,when it removed the need for men to wear socks.
Though the rules state that shorts must finish below the knee,there is some flexibility around that length. However,they must be no shorter than the pair that were modelled on Monday,which finished just above the knee.
Jumpsuits,playsuits,bike shorts,stretch shorts,board shorts,sports shorts and any casual short will not be accepted in the members’ area.
Shorts are among the fashion items permitted in the members' areas at Flemington - but there are some conditions.
The VRC does not have dress regulations in general admission areas.
Racing Victoria chief executive Andrew Jones has gone on the record encouraging the metropolitan clubs to loosen dress codes to make racing more accessible.
“Why don’t we let people wear what they want?” Jones asked delegates at the Asian Racing Conference in March.
“No one calls up a restaurant and demands a dress code,they wear what they want.”
Waterhouse,a long-time VRC ambassador,said the Flemington carnival meant a lot to her.
“I came here as a teenager,” said Waterhouse,the daughter of legendary trainer Tommy Smith.
“My mum wouldn’t let me come as a kid,I came as a teenager,and my first trip to Flemington was in the back of an old-fashioned Rolls-Royce,I think.
“A man called John Newton and his mate took my girlfriend and me to the races,and we sat up the back having a glass of champagne and a chicken wing,and we stopped by the police,and they had a bit of the chicken and a glass of champagne. That wouldn’t happen nowadays,but it was a happy memory just from the start.
“I love it,I think it’s one of the great racing events of the world,and they do it so well,the VRC,and Racing Victoria backing them.”
Neil Wilson,chairman of the Victoria Racing Club,said Flemington was gearing up for big crowds over the four days,with early weather forecasts in their favour.
“The talk of diminishing crowds is wrong,and we’ve got evidence of that,” Wilson said.
“I think people have got their eye back in,being back at the track,and feeling the excitement of the race at the track. Of course there will be people who stay home because we’ve done such a great job at presenting it,but there’s nothing like being at the track.
“What we’ve seen over the last 12 months is people have had to be reminded of that.”
Wilson said he anticipated a higher percentage of younger racegoers would attend,with the club creating new areas on course to appeal to 18- to 25-year-olds.
“We’ve made a conscious effort to target that category,not only for Cup week but also with our membership,” he said.
“We’ve seen an increase in membership,we’ve got an all-time record of 33,000,and of the last 5000 members that have come on,at least half of those have been in that category.”
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