Powerbrokers, influencers, safari suits descend on Caulfield Cup

Racing is a great equaliser, so industry rivalries and intrigue were set aside at Caulfield on Saturday for the running of the 150th Caulfield Cup .

The centre of power and influence in Melbourne was the invitation-only committee room at Caulfield, where politicians, racing heavyweights, business identities and a smattering of celebrities rubbed shoulders.

It was a serious flex and example of pulling power by the Melbourne Racing Club, which has Caulfield in its remit.

Not many doors were being knocked by politicians, as a slice of the political class took in the action at the track including Racing Minister Anthony Carbines , Deputy Opposition Leader David Southwick , shadow federal treasurer Tim Wilson and the retiring state Liberal member for Malvern, Michael O’Brien .

The Melbourne Racing Club board – comprising chair Cameron Fisher , vice chair Jonathan Munz , treasurer Alison Saville , and committee members Caitrin Kelly , Belinda Meyers , Robyn Gray , Stephen Foster , David Gambell and Frank Pollio – was out in force along with club chief executive Tanya Fullarton .

Victoria Racing Club chair Neil Wilson , who recently announced he would step down after this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, and wife Stephanie were moving between the committee room and the mounting yard, where they were supporting friends who had runners in the big races. Michael Ramsden , current vice chairman of the VRC, was also in the power room.

Racing Victoria boss Aaron Morrison , former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire businessman Gerry Ryan , trainer Gai Waterhouse , retired jockey Michelle Payne , award-winning actor Rachel Griffiths – fresh from the set of her new courtroom drama Slander – footy great Chris Judd , ex-jockey Tom Prebble and Mr Melbourne Martin Pakula (the former MP-turned Melbourne Grand Prix boss) were also mingling.

Even former Melbourne Racing Club chair John Kanga , who resigned from his post last year, made an appearance.

Prolific racehorse owners Ozzie Kheir , Rupert Legh and John O’Neill were spotted, while Melbourne’s breakfast radio king, 3AW’s Ross Stevenson , got the day off on a winning note when his horse, Captain Maverick, won the second race in Doomben. Stevenson is a winner on the track as well as on air.

Meanwhile, down in the bustling corporate enclosure, the spring fling of socialising and marquee hopping was in full flight with the top destination being The Beverly marquee – or as we here at CBD like to call it, Planet Beverly.

Hosted by the folk behind the Beverly restaurant/bar in South Yarra, Cameron Northway and Emily Gurr , this was the cool kids’ lair.

Sure, it was at the track, but whether some of the guests knew they were at the races or not was debatable.

New Hawthorn recruit Zach Merrett , the former Essendon star now carrying the banner as Caulfield Cup ambassador, was a bundle of nerves as he had a horse running in the group 1 Thousand Guineas.

Merrett’s brother-in-law is a blood stock agent with leading trainer Ciaron Maher . Merrett agreed to buy a share in the horse last year and had “forgotten” until recently that he was part of the ownership group. The horse had won its past two starts.