The Races

All Dolled up for Doncaster Day

via Instagram

We wish we woke up on Saturday morning look like this, but it took the effort of three girls, a few fascinators, borrowed jewelry and a GHD straightening iron (RRP $269 AUD - and I thought the CHI was expensive!).

That morning, I walked the 10 minute walk between mine and Va's apartments looking like 'The Walk of Shame'. I had to wear my dress for the day and was recovering from the previous night's antics at our friend Jenny and Byron's party. Bryon's two kids were visiting from Perth and we partied hard with bowls of candy, pizza making and hard core dance party. I was proud to show them the 'traditional' Filipino party game 'The Newspaper Dance.'

Also, that morning Dave and I ran the longest we've ever ran - 12km! We are training for the half-marathon on 20 May. It's getting close and we haven't ran without stopping. With the encouragement of our friend Helen who ran it last year finishing at 1:36, we decided to run the whole 12km without stopping. Best of all, we would see her today at the races and we could tell her in person!

At Va's, we enjoyed breakfast with champagne and went straight into Doncaster Day prep mode.

Race day checklist:

• Makeup to match the dress - love you MAC!
• Hair done with GHD either straight or curls
• Stand out fascinator - borrowed from Va
• Cute dress - this yellow one is my 'little black dress'. Works every time!
• Heels - chose 4 inch heels. Ouch!
• Little purse - had too much to carry so brought the regular work bag
• Pre-race photos via Dave
• Go! - Difficult to find a cab to take us because 'It's headache' - says the cabbie

Lauren in Va's Robe for Pre-Gaming & Pre-Dolling Up

We were invited to our friend Jon's 33rd birthday party. Shying away from the standard Saturday pub beer garden venue, he chose the Randwick Racecourse. Conveniently, the biggest race in NSW was happening that day - Doncaster Day.

Doncaster Day is the Melbourne Cup equivalent in New South Wales. Many people think the Triple Crown is a big deal, but the Melbourne Cup prize money is the largest in the world - over $6 million! Doncaster Day fares well with the highest prize money at $1.5 million. With tickets at $40 a pop, I'm hoping for contention for Best Dressed Couple at $29,561.

Pretty Best Dressed to Me!

Gates opened at 11am and we arrived at 12pm. Their were droves of people coming in taxis and many more walking around Randwick Racecourse. As we approached the gate, we couldn't help ourselves but to play Fashion Police.

"Her dress is way too casual."

"I would never wear that."

"Ooo, that's pretty."

Before the gate, we were greeted by a promotional street team giving away blister patches - very convenient for us ladies suffering in heels walking on grass all day. Well done blister marketeers!

At the gate, there were soldiers giving away pins of rosemary to commemorate the troops.

"Do we get any lamb with that?" I joked.

"Everyone says that." said the soldier.

"Do we get any Lay-yeh-mbuh with that? Lauren joked.

I can't help my Texan accent, but that's how we say it! I'm proud that it still comes out despite living in New York City, Seoul and now Sydney for the past eight years.

We walked through the viewing areas to find Jon and the rest of our friends. Of course, the first thing any of us girls want to do was to take photos. Sharon was eating a sausage, and boy did it look good. That 12km run wiped us out and we were starving!

Photo time! What to do with a Sausage in Hand?

For the rest of the day, we took in a day at the races for all it had to offer. We learned how to bet, walk on the grass in heels and admired the lively atmosphere full of merriment and interesting suit choices.

So, You Looked in the Mirror and said Yes!?

Between races, I ran into some familiar faces. For a city with over 4.5 million people, it really is a small place!

Emily & Mel

Girls I know from Dave's Colleague Jutta

We are All Part of a Dinner Club

Matt & Ciaran - Colleagues from FST Media

Why be at the races and not place a bet? Dave and I looked over at the betting stand and decided to go for it. There was a minimum $5 bet. You can either bet 'to place' (top 3) or 'to win'. We decided to place $20 on two horses to place - the safer bet of the two. But, which horses do we pick? I decided to go with my gut feeling and choose the horses that 1) didn't have the best odds, but were in the upper half for best odds and 2) had interesting names. This planned worked because I won every race I bet on that day. Dave deviated from 'the plan' for one race and placed a bet on the horse with the best odds. He lost most of our winnings.

At our first 'money at stake' race of the day, we raced down to the track to watch. Right when the horses were about to pass us, security came up to Sharon and I, looked at our flutes of champagne, looked at our faces and said, "I need to see some ID." We weren't in Kings Cross and we don't look that young. Well, I still look like my high school self. We were appalled. This was our first race that had money on it and we were being escorted back to our bags to show him ID. One look at our IDs, he nodded with no facial expression. What a waste of time.

I Need to See Some ID.

You Must Be Joking!

Doncaster Day Races

View from the Members Area

After running into security and catching up with a few friends, we decided to go into the Members area for fear of rain. Here we spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on life, betting on the last few races and of course taking in a few photo opportunities.

Take 1: Ordering

Take 2: Hair

Take 3. Perfection!

Me & Lauren

We Look Like Peaches and Lemons 

Inside the Member's area, I was tapped on the shoulder by an old man. In the most Aussie accent he said, "I like your colour." Does he mean dress or skin? "Thank you!"

Anticipation is Building & a lot of Money at Stake

My role in the betting plan was to give Dave my gut feeling on horse names and odds. He would pay and watch the race with everyone else. I watched them as they cheered at the TV screens. So much more amusing!

The Ladies

Helen, Liz, Lauren, Sharon, Me, Sophie & Va

It's amazing how this group has come together. I know Sharon from our time at Taurus Marketing. Lauren is her best friend from home. When Sharon first came to Australia, she temped with Helen at a call centre. Helen has lived with Va. Liz's mum is friend's with Jon's mum. Jon is engaged to Sharon. And finally, Sophie worked with Jon when he first came to Australia.

The Lads 

Birthday Boy with the Donna Hay Bag

She's like the Martha Stewart of Australia

Twinkies!

Dave isn't Short. This Guy is Just Really Tall

Rainbow Bright Suit! Seriously?

Winning 'Best Dressed' wasn't in our favour today, but we were up $2 from the day's bets. Best of all, we had an amazing time with some great friends at our first races. Next year, I'm definitely going to have a Kentucky Derby sized fascinator.