Thousands of racegoers braved four seasons in one day as they flocked to Flemington for the third day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Those attending Crown Oaks Ladies Day refused to let an afternoon downpour dampen their high spirits as the celebration continued well into the day.
While the morning started sunny, the sky quickly darkened as the Bureau of Meteorology warned of a possible thunderstorm.
Nevertheless, revelers made the most of their day out, with many wearing purple in honor of the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.
Crown Oaks Ladies Day attendees took cover as the heavens opened
All smiles! Thousands of revelers made the most of Oaks Day, despite the miserable weather
The grassy venue slowly turning to mud didn’t stop racegoers from partying hard
Who needs an umbrella? Several attendees got creative when it started to rain
Cheese! Despite the bad weather, everyone present was all smiles
Revelers who remembered to bring an umbrella were grateful as showers passed through Flemington on Thursday afternoon
While an umbrella is usually the cover of choice for racegoers, some attendees used whatever they could find to protect their outfits
The revelers refused to let the rain put a damper on the festivities
Crown Oaks Day is traditionally known for its pink dress code.
But this year the pink rose was replaced by the purple rose as the official flower of the event.
However, many attendees paid tribute to tradition, with many choosing to accent their carefully crafted outfits with pink details.
However, by far the most popular accessory was an umbrella or poncho.
Those caught short by the rain were spotted taking cover or using anything nearby – from jackets to picnic blankets – to protect themselves from getting wet.
The rain caught some racegoers off guard and many were forced to use picnic blankets for cover
Ladies wore their fashion best as the winners of the Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field competition were announced on Thursday
Many partygoers took cover after the rain started, leaving only the most dedicated fans to brave the weather
The rain was far from everyone’s cup of tea, thankfully the drizzle lessened as the afternoon progressed
Many attendees paid tribute to the traditional color of Oaks Day: pink!
Well-prepared race participants brought umbrellas and raincoats
Michelle Payne and 2024 Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Harry Coffey led a guard of honor at Flemington’s Mounting Yard after race five, with the Crown Resorts Foundation donating $500 for each jockey who took part.
Treasurethe Moment won the Group 1 2,500m race to become the 39th filly to complete the Wakeful Stakes/Crown Oaks double.
“It’s 20 years of work to actually achieve something like this,” coach Matt Laurie said.
“I am so grateful to my team at home and Team Yulong. They have supported me, this is a home bred strain, and it is incredible to see her progress and win Group 1.”
Thousands of revelers refused to let the rain spoil their fun on Thursday
Beautiful in pink: Many visitors to Oaks Day wore pink in honor of the day’s long tradition
Racegoers crowded under umbrellas as showers hit Flemington on Thursday
The long day was a bit much for some revelers, with many choosing to kick off their heels and enjoy the sun
Glamorous racing fans braved the rain for Crown Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday
The crowd had fun on Crown Oaks Day, the third day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival
There was also plenty of action off the court, with the winners of the Best Dressed and Best Suited categories of the Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field competition being announced.
Special guests Elizabeth Hurley, her son Damian Hurley and ARIA award-winning singer Samantha Jade were on the judging panel with a record-breaking prize pool of over $370,000 up for grabs.
The Best Dressed and Best Suited categories each had more than $111,000 in prizes, with the overall winners receiving $20,000 in cash, in addition to prizes from Penfolds, Schweppes, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, TAB and TCL Electronics.
Revelers will have the chance to head back to Flemington on Saturday for the TAB Champions Stakes Day, which concludes the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Race fans returning to Flemington on Saturday for the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival will hopefully be better prepared for the weather
Those present on Crown Oaks Day were smiling despite the bad weather
Enjoying the sun: Those present basked in the morning sun while it lasted
Floral fashions were hidden under raincoats as racegoers did their best to stay dry
Winners are grinners! Dancing partygoers on Thursday had no fear that the grass would turn to mud
Prepared participants were able to enjoy the races on the track, while others were forced to hide undercover from the rain
Flemington’s undercover areas quickly became busy as revelers escaped the rain