Queen's Birthday Race Day

For our anniversary treat we decided to go and enjoy the Queen's Birthday Race meeting at Flemington.

We did it in style with full hospitality and bubbles of course in the fabulous Terrace Restaurant.

Flemington is Australia's equivalent of the UK's Ascot and is very impressive indeed even on a very  gloomy and rainy winters day.

Australia's Ascot

We had a full racetrack view from our table and the Melbourne skyline.

It didn't dampen our spirits or our enjoyment at all and the idea to buy the warm cloche hat, turned out to be a top one!

Wrapped up for a cold, rainy day!

We enjoyed bubbles and a very fine 3 course meal, ham hock tortellini with a pea puree, spiced rack of lamb with roast butternut squash and courgette with a yogurt mint dressing, followed by a wonderful cheeseboard.

Hubster checking out the form on our personal race monitor. Men and their doofers!

We sang Happy Birthday very quietly to Her Maj and Congratulations and Celebrations to us, I know, how old are are we?

Happy Birthday Ma'am and Happy Anniversary to us.

Running in the 3rd race was a fine filly called Gail! Well that so happens to be the name of one of my dearest friends and so backing her was a no brainer. Hubster backed her too and like a good 'un she romped home a 9-1 winner. Thank you Gail, you beauty and I was already $50 up on the day.

A close up of Gail romping over the winning line!

Coincidence you might say? No, don't believe in those.

We had a top day, even though the rain had put off many and the grandstands were barren, the die hard core of race goers really got into the spirit of things.

Our anniversary part II is on the 8th September and yes there is a race meeting, a ladies day in fact. Based on today's fun we might just have to do it all over again and have a groundhog anniversary date.