Oliver and Willowy will face stiff competition from the Price-Kent Racing trained Daisies, with newly minted Lexus Melbourne Cup winning jockey James McDonald aboard.
Current TAB favourite Elusive Express will attempt to follow Penfolds Victoria Derby winner Hitotsu in making the rare leap from 1600m to 2500m for the first time in the $1 million main race.
Six of the nine races on the card are exclusively for fillies and/or mares, including the Group 3 Darley Ottawa Stakes (1000m) for two-year-old fillies, the Group 3 Network 10 Red Roses Stakes (1100m) for three-year-old fillies and the $250,000 Inglis Bracelet (1600m), restricted to fillies and mares purchased from any Inglis sale.
Another of the highlights on the track is the $500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final, restricted to horses who qualified through a series of races at country racecourses in recent weeks.
One of Australia’s most-loved performers Kate Ceberano will perform her hit single Sweet Inspiration live from The Garden Stage in Wildflower at 12:20pm.
On the ultimate day of Myer Fashions on your Front Lawn, the Men’s and Women’s National Racewear Competition winners will be announced live on Network 10, with the Men’s National Final winner announced at 2:10PM and Women’s National Final winner at 4:10PM.
The state and territory finalists will go head-to-head, along with the wildcard entrants that were chosen by style spotters from racegoers at Penfolds Victoria Derby Day and Lexus Melbourne Cup Day.
A star-studded judging panel including Network 10’s Carrie Bickmore, Lexus Ambassador and Network 10’s Melissa Leong, VRC Ambassador Crystal Kimber, Myer Ambassador Kris Smith and Lexus Ambassador Kate Waterhouse, have cast their final votes ahead of tomorrow’s announcements.
The 2021 Myer Fashions on your Front Lawn® competition offers one of Australia’s richest prize pools, with the Women’s and Men’s Racewear National Final winners each receiving more than $100,000 in prizes including a brand new Lexus UX250h 2WD Sports Luxury valued at over $70,070, an Omega Watch from Kennedy and a Myer gift card.
To round out the iconic competition, three Just For Fun categories - Family Ties, Cup Week Costumes and Cup Week Casual – will allow everyone to revel in the joyful spirit the Melbourne Cup Carnival, with entries open until the end of Paramount+ Stakes Day on Saturday 6 November.
To kick off Kennedy Oaks Day, the VRC will host a champagne brunch off track at The Commons at Ormond Collective, with VRC ambassadors Crystal Kimber, Amanda Ross, Emma Booth, Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassadors, Diana Chan and Christian Petracca, Myer Fashions on your Front Lawn Ambassador, Tayla Damir, and social personalities, Abbey Gelmi and Anna McEvoy attending the pre-raceday event.
Racegoers on track will be encouraged to purchase a 2021 Lexus Melbourne Cup lapel pin from volunteers on course, with all proceeds going towards the VRC’s 2021 Pin & Win charity partner Very Special Kids.
The commemorative pins cost $5 and $10 for a diamante horse shoe pin and are also available for purchase online here. All purchasers are able to enter the draw to win over $130,000 worth of prizes including a brand new 2021 Lexus UX 250h AWD F Sport valued at $75,525.
