Kate Waterhouse oozes sophistication in a red Versace gown as she leads the glamorous arrivals at the 2024 Melbourne Cup
Kate Waterhouse put on a high-glamour display as she led the celebrity arrivals at the hotly-anticipated Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday.
The model, 40, made sure to capture attention as she stormed the top event on the Australian celebrity social calendar in a vibrant rouge designer ensemble.
Arriving at the luxurious world-famous ‘Birdcage’, she showed off her toned legs in a sophisticated midi dress from Versace featuring the brand’s signature gold clasps.
Kate gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of pointed rouge stilettos and toted her essentials in a red clutch bag as she looked racing day ready.
The journalist oozed sophistication as she shielded her eyes with white cat-eye shades from G.O.D eyewear and swept her golden locks beneath a red hair scarf.
Kate has long held a passion for horse racing as she is the daughter of horse trainer Gai Waterhouse and bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse.
She was joined at the festivities by famed Aussie swimmer Ariarne Titmus, who looked equally glamorous in a stunning red strapless mini dress.
The eye-catching gown featured a dramatic off-the-shoulder floral neckline and Ariarne added to her frame with a pair of beige heeled sandals.
Kate Waterhouse put on a high-glamour display as she led the celebrity arrivals at the hotly-anticipated Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday
The model, 40, made sure to capture attention as she stormed the top event on the Australian celebrity social calendar in a vibrant rouge designer ensemble
The Olympic champion, 24, kept her essentials in a metallic silver clutch bag and accentuated her stunning features with a bronzed make-up palette.
Celebrities are given the ultimate VIP treatment inside Flemington’s world-famous ‘Birdcage’, where guests are treated to high-class delicacies from free-flowing French Champagne, specialty cocktails and meals prepared by famed chefs.
This year’s VIP attendees will also be indulging in caviar bumps – a fine dining trend which refers to eating a mound of the expensive food off the back of the hand.
The list of famous guests are hosted by G.H. Mumm, the official Champagne sponsor of the event, Furphy, winemakers Penfolds, Lexus and Crown Resorts.
Channel Nine also have their own marquee while Don Julio has opened a vibrant pink-themed tequila bar offering delicious specialty cocktails and live DJ performances.
Huge crowds have descended on Flemington Racecourse ahead of the 164th staging of the Melbourne Cup at 3pm on Tuesday.
Thousands of Aussies are gearing up to place their bets on the hotly-anticipated race, with racing fans around the world turning their attention to Melbourne.
She showed off her toned legs in a sophisticated midi dress from Versace featuring the brand’s signature gold clasps on the straps
The journalist oozed sophistication as she shielded her eyes with white cat-eye shades from G.O.D eyewear and swept her golden locks beneath a red hair scarf
She was joined at the festivities by famed Aussie swimmer Ariarne Titmus, who looked equally glamorous in a stunning red strapless mini dress
The eye-catching gown featured a dramatic off-the-shoulder floral neckline and Ariarne added to her frame with a pair of beige heeled sandals
The Olympic champion, 24, kept her essentials in a metallic silver clutch bag and accentuated her stunning features with a bronzed make-up palette
The event is being broadcast live on Channel Nine and Sarah Abo and Alex Cullen were spotted backstage preparing for filming ahead of the big event.
Today show host Sarah, 38, looked effortlessly stylish in a baby blue jacket, which she coordinated with a matching bow in her brunette tresses.
She was seen trying to fix the giant accessory into her tresses, before later stripping down to a sophisticated all-white suit for the broadcast.
Sarah was joined by her co-host Alex, 43, who looked dapper in a navy suit as he got ready for their busy day of broadcasting duties.
Fashion racing enthusiast Viera Macikova showed off her unique sense of style in a red jacket embellished with love hearts, which she styled with wide-leg trousers
She completed her look with a red love heart handbag and sported some colour coordinated shades on the day
Crystal Kimber-Peters made sure to capture attention in a shimmering metallic silver strapless dress, which she styled with rainbow strapped heels
She fixed a very dramatic pink fascinator in her golden tresses, which matched her vibrant handbag
Debra J Quinn put on a very quirky display in a layered white jacket with quirky gold sleeves, which she styled with straight leg trousers
TV presenter Brodie Young also cut a suave figure in a beige suit jacket, which he styled with a crisp white shirt and coordinated trousers
The stayers event is one of the biggest in the world and has produced a long list of champions over the years, including the likes of Phar Lap, Kingston Town and the invincible feats of Makybe Diva.
This year, 24 more Australian and international horses and their jockeys will be looking to etch their names into the history books while punters will be hoping to pick the winner – or land the ultimate trifecta.
Several horses have been already withdrawn from the 2024 Cup due to veterinary concerns, including Jan Brueghel, Brayden Star, Muramasa and Via Sistina.
Veteran bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse has highlighted Circle of Fire as a Melbourne Cup ‘bolter’ worth attention, particularly for those looking beyond the top favourites.
The Melbourne Cup is being broadcast live on Channel Nine and Sarah Abo and Alex Cullen were spotted backstage preparing for filming ahead of the big event
Today show host Sarah, 38, looked effortlessly stylish in a baby blue jacket, which she coordinated with a matching bow in her brunette tresses
She was seen trying to fix the giant accessory into her tresses as her co-host Alex watched on as she appeared to be deciding about the accessory
Sarah was joined by her co-host Alex, 43, who looked dapper in a navy suit as he got ready for their busy day of broadcasting duties
The presenters appeared to be in jovial spirits ahead of the busy day as they laughed and joked together backstage
Huge crowds have descended on Flemington Racecourse ahead of the 164th staging of the Melbourne Cup at 3pm on Tuesday
This year, 24 more horses and their jockeys will be looking to etch their names into the history books while punters will be hoping to pick the winner. Pictured: Michael Dee riding Tycoon Star in Race 1, the Darley Maribyrnong Plate
| Horse | Trainer(s) | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vauban (FR) | Willie Mullins | William Buick | 11 | 55.5kg | $4.50 |
| Buckaroo (UK) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 21 | 54.5kg | $5 |
| Circle of Fire (UK) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | 24 | 54.5kg | $15 |
| Warp Speed (JPN) | Noboru Takagi | Akira Sugawara | 3 | 54.5kg | $12 |
| Kovalica (NZ) | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 17 | 53.5kg | $10 |
| Sharp ‘n’ Smart (NZ) | Graeme & Deborah Rogerson | Michael Dee | 15 | 53.5kg | $20 |
| Just Fine (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jye Mcneil | 13 | 53kg | $25 |
| Land Legend (FR) | Chris Waller | Zac Purton | 18 | 53kg | $30 |
| Absurde (FR) | Willie Mullins | Kerrin Mcevoy | 7 | 52.5kg | $18 |
| Athabascan (FR) | John O’shea & Tom Charlton | Zac Lloyd | 2 | 52kg | $35 |
| Knight’s Choice (AUS) | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Robbie Dolan | 6 | 51.5kg | $50 |
| Okita Soushi (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Jamie Kah | 10 | 51kg | $8 |
| Onesmoothoperator (USA) | Brian Ellison | Craig Williams | 12 | 51kg | $12 |
| Zardozi (AUS) | James Cummings | Andrea Atzeni | 4 | 51kg | $22 |
| Sea King (UK) | Harry Eustace | Hollie Doyle | 1 | 50.5kg | $15 |
| Valiant King (UK) | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 22 | 50.5kg | $40 |
| Fancy Man (IRE) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Ron Stewart | 19 | 50kg | $60 |
| Interpretation (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Teo Nugent | 14 | 50kg | $25 |
| Manzoice (AUS) | Chris Waller | Declan Bates | 8 | 50kg | $50 |
| Mostly Cloudy (IRE) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Karis Teetan | 16 | 50kg | $70 |
| Positivity (NZ) | Andrew Forsman | Winona Costin | 20 | 50kg | $80 |
| Saint George (UK) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Tyler Schiller | 9 | 50kg | $100 |
| The Map (AUS) | Dan Clarken & Oopy Macgillivray | Rachel King | 23 | 50kg | $150 |
| Trust in You (NZ) | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | Mark Du Plessis | 5 | 50kg | $200 |
Circle of Fire, priced around $34, is an intriguing choice with the capability to handle the Cup’s demanding 3200m distance. Waterhouse believes that, despite its longer odds, the horse could outperform some of the more fancied competitors.
Circle of Fire will jump from the challenging barrier 24, the widest position, which presents obstacles for early positioning.
However, the horse’s proven stamina and form as a Group 1 two-miler make it a viable contender in the long stretch.
French stayer Vauban ($4.50) is currently the pre-race favourite, slightly ahead of the Chris Waller trained Buckaroo ($5).
