Flemington Racecourse

As the home of the ‘race that stops a Nation’ (despite only Victoria actually getting a public holiday — I have lots of bitter Interstate relatives) Flemington does have a lot to live up to… and it succeeds!
They deliver on events well — mostly racing but others also — and the grounds are just beautiful!
It is easily accessible by PT and if you are happy to brave the traffic they are able to coordinate heavy car flow pretty well too.

Being from the US i didnt know what to expect but i was pleasantly surprised by all the people dressed up. This track was a little confusing at first but after a beer and hotdog i figured it out. All and all the wife and i had a great time.

As a regular race lady of leisure I’m always surprised with how well this racecourse performs.
Good toilets, good space and good security. Keeling racehorses and racegoers separate is a good thing. The staff are generally smiling and chatty. Which is nice to see.
The lawns are always well cared for and immaculately groomed. If only the patrons would take a note from the caretakers book!
As someone who has done back to back race days I’m always surprised at how fast things get tidied up.
Worth a visit to watch the ponies play.

The members facilities are large and sprawling. If you’re not having much luck trackwise in one area, simply find another bar where the feng shui is better. The public areas are very accommodating too. Plenty to see. Check out the roses and horses. Plus lots of space to stretch out (except on Cup Day). Worth the gamble. Neigh.

I was rather surprised with my Derby Day experience so I thought I should share.
Going to Derby in Gen Pop, I was dreading the queues for the toilets, the bar, the TAB, oh and did I mention the toilets?
Was also expecting to have to be on my feet ALL day, which I’m sure if we had of stayed out near the track would’ve happened.
Ended up spending most of the day in the back area between all the bookies & the Johnny Walker bar, where we managed to get a seat on a bench around a shade inducing tree, was right out used the bar (max 15 min wait), a couple of minutes up from the toilets (NEVER had a wait, score!!), and next to TAB /​Bookies that never had a line longer than 2 people.
NB– I would’ve spent more time next to the track if it wasn’t so hot and there was some shade, but still had fun.
Leaving after race 7, there was already a massive taxi line, so walked the couple of minutes up to the station, and got a train to Nth Melbourne, and back to Moonee Ponds, probably all in less time than it would’ve taken to get to the front of the taxi line!

We all know spring racing in flemington is a great time of the year.
However, I’d strongly recommend giving it a try at a less busy time.
Even if you can’t score members tickets (but do if you can) the venue accommodates all.
I recommend taking you own picnic basket (can get food there but mostly deep fried) and making a day of it.
Most race days are family friendly.

If there is one thing that Melbourne does exceptionally well, it is sporting events. On the first Tuesday in November, 110,000 people don their finest and head to Flemington to find a perch on which to be part of the famous Melbourne Cup, one of the world’s richest turf races run over 3,200 metres (close to two miles on the old scale).
I won’t say they go there to watch it, because for a large proportion of the crowd there must be little chance of actually seeing it — particularly if by the time it is run (3pm, the seventh of ten races on the day) the bubbly and cocktail slushies have rendered them beyond caring.
Whether you can see the horses or not though, the atmosphere is electric and it’s a day you can thoroughly enjoy at all sorts of levels. Given a choice, I would have to opt for a table in the Terrace Restaurant overlooking the finish line rather than a folding chair in the carpark. But either way, it’s a day when I’m happy to borrow a fascinator and get down to business. Sparkling, anyone?

I was lucky enough to win an all expenses paid trip to Melbourne (I live in Sydney) to attend Crown Oaks Day in the Fruche marquee in The Birdcage. Having never been to the races at Flemington before, I was rather excited to be spending the day among celebrities. We had Miss J. Alexander in our tent and at one stage Australia’s golden girl, Jennifer Hawkins was in attendance. Other celebrities that were there that day included Sarah Jessica Parker, Joan Collins, Wayne Cooper, Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. My friend and I spent most of the day in the Fruche marquee, downing the freshest prawns, chicken sandwiches, champagne and cocktails– all free of course! We had a wander around and had one bet (unfortunately not a win). Despite all this fun, we never actually saw the race live (only from our flat screen television in the marquee). We couldn’t enter other company marquees which was unfortunate but overall the day was lots of fun. I was amazed by some of the hats and fascinators. It was great people watching that was for sure and an experience of a lifetime.

Flemington Racecourse plays home to many events. Sterosonic happens yearly and is one of many music festivals on Melbourne’s social calendar. I am relived to say that I won’t be heading back to Sterosonic any time soon and my last memory, I forget which year it was, wasn’t the best. It used to be held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and has now moved to Flemington Race Course.
Aside from the standard down falls of mass festivals advertised on a commercial level like no reception, 100% mark up on water, one alcoholic can per person, lines for the port-​a-​loo that kind of thing… Stereosonic just got it all wrong.
The lines for alcohol were way too long, like ridiculous long because you needed to be issues with a drink card before purchasing. The line also extended across the main stage and lawn area making it impossible to fight your way through to meet people, which is something you are doing almost ever 15 minutes.
They also had a limited number of portable toilets coupled by a line of at least 20 people each time made it very painful. The general layout of the event just seemed all wrong. Hopeful they get it right next year.

Flemington Racecourse is home to the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, and the ‘Race that stops a nation’, the Melbourne Cup.
With race days and special events held throughout the year at the historic racecourse and in its many function rooms, the pinnacle of the racing year, as well as undoubtably one of the most important months in the Melbourne social calendar is the month long aforementioned carnival.
Men and Women dress to the nines when attending a carnival day at the track, following the dress codes (not enforced) of each particular day. Ladies and increasingly more gentlemen take great interest in fashions on the field, and hats or head pieces are more common than not.
I love a day at the races at Flemington, whether during the carnival or not– there is a great sense of history here. Many of the most famous moments in Australian sporting history were recorded right here at this track. There is definitely something special about attending a carnival race day though, and the beautiful rose gardens and green lawns beckon hundreds of thousands every spring to come along and place their bets. Me? Well, I never win. The safest bet you’ll make all day is on there being an infuriatingly long line for the TAB and the bar.