“The nautical vibe here is making me feel a little more at home,” she said. “Otherwise, I think I’d be a bit out of my comfort zone.”
Lexus
In pole position looking down Flemington’s final straight, the Lexus marquee is bigger than previous years, with balconies on every level.
The kitchen is being headed by chef Josh Raine, formerly of Tetsuya’s and now chef and owner of 40Res, and will offer luxury during the Melbourne Cup carnival – a two-course seated menu for racegoers who want to rest their feet.
Cocktails at the Lexus marqueeCredit: Eddie Jim
The menu in the downstairs restaurant features kingfish sashimi topped with lime ponzu and wagyu beef paired with smoked eggplant, while a third level patisserie and cocktail bar will offer a sugar and alcohol hit.
The marquee’s interior, designed by Brahman Perera, features a dining room downstairs filled with glass mirrored tables along with a pamper room for makeup, a first floor with a wide balcony overlooking the track and lounge area, and, on the top floor, a coffee, dessert and record bar.
“We’ve got the new space, it’s much larger, it’s much wider, Perera said. “We can have a little bit more room to play. I wanted there to be three different feelings as you ascend through the spaces.”
Tabcorp
Tabcorp chief executive Gillon McLachlan was on hand at the gambling giant’s two-storey green marquee, which he described as “the world’s most expensive pop-up marquee at $7 million per square foot or something”.
Jacqui Felgate with Prince of Penzance at the TAB marquee.Credit: Eddie Jim
But a spokesman for Tabcorp said this was just a throwaway line and the marquee did not cost that much.
Racegoers like Bec Judd can get their hair and makeup touched up at Crown.Credit: Eddie Jim
Crown
Crown’s three-storey marquee features a free-flowing champagne tower at ground level made up of 500 crystal champagne flutes.
No chance of going thirsty in the Crown marqueeCredit: Eddie Jim
“It doesn’t get any better, and the view from up there is the best view at the track,” Bec Judd, Crown’s ambassador for the Carnival, said.
Guests will be served freshly shucked oysters, caviar bumps and vodka campanelle pasta topped with truffles, with chef Guillaume Brahimi overseeing the menu.
Hair and makeup touch-ups are on hand from celebrity stylist Joey Scandizzo and Jade Kisnorbo.
Kirin Ichiban
Brewing giant Lion unveiled a Japanese izakaya-styled marquee, which it says is the biggest in the Birdcage, hosting up to 400 guests.
Accompanying Kirin Ichiban beer, guests will graze from a sushi station, with a 50 kilogram whole tuna being delivered each day to be broken down by chefs for sashimi, nigri and maki rolls.
Chef Bradley White at the Kirin Ichiban marquee.Credit: Eddie Jim
Guests in the wood-panelled three storey marquee will be entertained by a Japanese drumming group and DJs.
The ground floor includes a secret bar serving beer cocktails – which are not snakebites but instead combine Kirin with rum and limoncello.
Nine
Channel Nine is positioned on “Millionaires Row” at the front of the Birdcage as broadcast partner and owner of this masthead.
James Bracey, Francesca Cumani, Eddie McGuire and Billy Slater at the Nine marquee.Credit: Eddie Jim
The marquee was launched by broadcast veteran Eddie McGuire and racing commentator Francesca Cumani.
“It’s 10 years ago the Prince of Penzance won the Melbourne Cup with Michelle Payne, the first female jockey on board,” McGuire said. “Who knows, we might get our second on Tuesday.”
Guests will have a choice of salty or spicy cocktails and will eat prawn toast made by the Atlantic Group.
Marmont
At the back of the Birdcage the VRC’s “Marmont” marquee, headed up by former DJ Grant Smillie, allows public access to the once invitation-only Birdcage – for the price of $2200 each.
The Marmont marquee.Credit: Eddie Jim
Marmont is serving prawn rolls, salmon ceviche tostadas and truffle fries paired with paloma tequila cocktails.
“We’ve got a churros station, which is a kind of Spanish doughnut but with a chocolate fountain that you can dip into,” Smillie said. “Hopefully people don’t get too carried away with it after a few too many drinks.”
Parade Social
The VRC has also commandeered what was the Penfolds marquee overlooking the parade ring for the ‘Parade Social’, where tickets for Cup Day are priced from $1700 each.
However, there was no preview of the space as builders are still frantically working on the marquee to get it ready for Derby Day on Saturday.
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